


Coffee And Contemplation

by TheGabbing



Series: My Yuri!!! on Ice Fanfiction [2]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Chubby Katsuki Yuuri, Coffee, Coffee Shops, Dirty Dancing, First Meetings, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Meet-Cute, Miscommunication, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pick-Up Lines, Self-Esteem Issues, Slow Build, Slow Burn, doctor!yuuri, student!yuuri
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-06 15:58:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8759503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGabbing/pseuds/TheGabbing
Summary: Yuuko and Takeshi run a small café off the New York University campus and when Yuuri decided to go abroad to study how to be a doctor, they offered him a job. Yuuri expected to be tired, deal with rude customers every day, and study every second of his free time but what he didn’t expect was his life-long idol to walk through the doors.





	1. CPR

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean... what world do we live in where there isn’t an obligatory coffee shop au for the gays. This idea was actually a prompt some where given to another writer. I think it was a merthur fic.... it was gay af, that’s for sure, but idk if it was merthur for sure, that’s just the most recent fic kick I’ve been on so I would assume so. Anyways, without further delay, here are the gays.
> 
> .... and to My RWY subscribers..... I is sorry, the gays made me do it.

Yuuko and Takeshi decided to move to America while Yuuri was in his second year of his pre-med degree. Takeshi’s brother had moved there ten years ago and insisted that they moved out of Kyushu. When Yuuri finished up his final years and was debating over whether he wanted to study is medical degree abroad, Yuuko told him that if he got into NYU, he would have a job at the café they started.

It was an amazing offer and his mother pushed him to take it when he received his acceptance letter from NYU. So he moved to the other country in the summer. It took him forever to get over the jetlag and a while to get the hang of speaking English every day, but by the time his school started, he was well versed in most American mannerisms and used to working at the café.

He lived with Yuuko and Takeshi due to it being cheaper than the dorms. As long as he promised to babysit the triplets every now and again and pick up some extra shifts, they didn’t ask for a cent. The only thing that Yuuri could complain about was the fact that all five of them had their noses stuck into his life, including teasing him about Viktor Nikiforov.

Yuuri, despite what Yuuko and Takeshi said, was not obsessed with Viktor Nikiforov. Sure, when he was younger, Yuuri contemplated taking up figure skating professionally because of Viktor, but it wasn’t like he actually did it. And maybe the fact that Viktor trained in New York factored into why he chose NYU as his medical school, but it was also because they had an amazing medical program.

Besides, it wasn’t like he would actually ever get to meet Viktor. It was a pipe dream with no tracks. Just a fan fantasy that everyone had over their idols.

His second year living in America was when everything changed.

As usual, he was helping out at the café before heading to his classes. His morning class was canceled so he ended up having a couple more hours to give to them before he had to go. It was a good thing too, because the café was oddly busy. Not that the café was some hole in the wall place that was on its last legs, not at all. Any café within walking distance of a University would never shut down as long as they had cheap coffee. It was just busier than usual on a Thursday. It felt more like a Monday to him.

Yuuko, Takeshi, and Yuuri ran behind the counter, switching between making the coffee’s and taking orders. Business men, exhausted students, and the like ordered a variety of different drinks and snacks, all looking like they were desperate for a fix.

Just as Yuuko tagged Yuuri into the register and the next customer walked up, Yuuri picked up his water bottle to take a swig. He was practically dying of heat stroke. His eyes glanced to the new customer as he put the bottle down and instantly he sucked in a breath... and water.

Yuuri started hacking up a lung, ending up crouching on the ground so he didn’t fall over. Customers started whispering and asking if he was alright and Yuuri was still clutching his chest.

Viktor Nikiforov was watching him have a coughing fit. His idol was watching him basically flail on the ground because Yuuri couldn’t god damn keep his cool when he met eyes with that gorgeous, gorgeous man.

Takeshi walked over, kneeling down and slamming his hand down on Yuuri’s back. Yuuko practically ran over, continuing to help people with their orders. Takeshi ended up helping Yuuri up stand back and rubbed his back. When Yuuri could breathe again, he patted Yuuko on the shoulder and muttered, “Thank you.”

Yuuko waved him off and motioned to the cup orders. Yuuri kept his head down as he started to work on the orders. Yuuri was so embarrassed that he didn’t even glance back at Viktor. He really didn’t want to see Viktor looking at him like a he was a freak.

With Yuuko on the register, Yuuri and Takeshi switched between making drinks and handing them to the customer. Eventually Yuuri ended up making an annoyingly sweet and complicated coffee with almost all the syrups they had. He finished the coffee and gave Takeshi a look that they shared when a customer ordered something annoying before he moved to hand it off to the customer.

Yuuri turned the coffee to announce the customer’s name and froze when he saw the name Viktor. Looking up, he saw Viktor with a smirk plastered over his face and leaning on the counter with his hand on his chin. Practically squeaking, Yuuri said, “Viktor,” and handed him the coffee.

Viktor smiled and took the coffee from Yuuri’s hand. Yuuri would have sworn on his childhood dogs grave that his heart stopped when Viktor’s fingers brushed his.

“You know, I know CPR. Just in case I take your breath away again,” Viktor says, winking at Yuuri.

His face instantly warms and Yuuri can just picture it being as red as a tomato. “Thank you for your order, please come again!” Yuuri yelled and then ran to the back. He ignored the sound of Viktor’s laughter even though it made him want to fall to the ground with weak knees.

In the back, Yuuri braced himself on one of the walls, clutching his chest and willing his heart to stop jumping out of his chest. Eventually, Yuuko slunk in the back and wrapped her arm around Yuuri’s shoulder.

Yuuko gave him a knowing look as he continued to try and calm down. His throat burned but he was pretty sure it was more than just the water he breathed in. “You good?” Yuuko asked. She had a mix of a concerned and amused look on her face. He almost wanted to tell her to shut up but he didn’t think he would be able to speak without his voice cracking. Yuuri waved her away, gesturing her to go back to the front.

“You go to class. Phichit should be here any minute, it won’t be a problem,” Yuuko said. She rubbed his back one more time and then walked back to the front.

It was only a couple minutes before Yuuri collected himself enough to start walking to the university. He had more than enough time to walk there and have at least thirty minutes to do some quick reviewing. Yuuri grabbed his school bag from the back office and buddle up to go out into the cold. Pausing at the door to the front, Yuuri peeked around the corner.

Viktor was sitting at one of the tables by the floor to ceiling windows. He was holding his annoying coffee order in his hands, the rim of it still touching his lips as he watched people walk by. Yuuri could feel his cheeks heat as he watched Viktor take a sip of the coffee.

Ducking his head down, Yuuri speed-walked out of the café, refusing to see whether Viktor noticed him walking past the windows when he left.

He wrapped his scarf around his face again and pulled his jacket tighter. There was no way that he would be able to look Yuuko or Takeshi in the eye without them bursting out laughing when he got back. He could already hear their teasing in the back of his mind. But he couldn’t just keep quiet about it, he needed to talk to someone, whine and complain how he made a total fool of himself in front of Viktor.

JJ was completely out of the question. Who ever said Canadians were humble had never met JJ. Granted, it could be because JJ is from Quebec, which Yuuri hears is a very... proud area of Canada. If Yuuri even mentioned anything to JJ, the budding artist would be at the café every day, waiting to ask Viktor to be a model for him. The man would draw himself for every project he did if he could, but his teachers already vetoed it.

Guang-Hong, Kenjirou, and Phichit would all laugh at him and tease him, so they were out of the question. Though Guang-Hong probably wouldn’t tease him very much, he would for sure tell Kenjirou and Phichit what he said since they all go to the same school. There was always Leo, but Leo would be working on his new ballet routine with Sara and Sara would tell Michele, who trained with Viktor. He had a big mouth so the chances were high that he would end up letting it slip to Viktor that Yuuri was obsessed with him. 

So in other words... he was going to have to call his sister. She would tease him, obviously, but due to the time difference, she wouldn’t have a lot of time to do it. Fumbling to peel his gloves, Yuuri hurried to phone her. It was late there and if he didn’t call her soon, she would probably start to fall asleep.

Within three rings, she answered the phone with a angrily snapped, “ _What_ ,” in Japanese. 

“I just met Viktor Nikiforov and made a complete and utter fool out of myself,” Yuuri whined, his Japanese accent coming back in full force. As he expected, Mari started to cackle evilly, seemingly completely awake now.

He regretted everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so, this longish fic is completely plotted out to 13 chapters, which should be the exact amount, more give than take. 
> 
> Unfortunately, if any of you readers knows me from my previous long fiction, I can sometimes get distracted, busy, and procrastinate updates. I typically end up updating faster when things are completely plotted, so I hope to have this fic updated every other week.
> 
> But this fic will take a back seat to Ruined With You, my current long fanfiction for Miraculous Ladybug that I have been working with around a year.
> 
> Anyways, this note has gone on long enough. As always, I appreciate every comment, kudos, subscribe, and bookmark! You can find me on tumblr @thegabbing.


	2. Band-Aid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I REMEMBERED! Which prompt fic that this idea is sort of half inspired by! It was a Song of Achilles Cafe Au, I'm sure if you search it up you can find it in the tags. I'm posting this right before I go to do a final exam so.

Yuuri groaned and dropped his head on the table for the third time that afternoon. He could hear Leo chuckle through his mouth of fries. A hand rubbed his back sympathetically, though he was pretty sure who ever it belonged to found everything funnier than he did.

“You guys don’t understand; it was so embarrassing.” Yuuri whined, his voice muffled from the table.

A snort, “I don’t see the problem,” JJ said happily, “I would gladly have Viktor hit on me. Though, I am a bit out of his league.”

Yuuri picked up his head to shoot JJ a glare. _Viktor was the league. He was everything. Literally no one was in Viktor’s league._ Yuuri thought but didn’t say. If he said these things out loud, JJ would start yelling and get rather insulted about the entire thing. Instead, Yuuri sighed, “It’s not even like I can get away from the teasing. Yuuko or Takeshi must have told the others because Phichit keeps pretending he’s choking when he sees me. Guang always runs up and asks him if he’s had his breath taken away.”

Sara shrugged her shoulders next to Yuuri, “I’m sure it’s not that bad.”

“Even if they aren’t that bad, Kenjirou keeps looking at me like I broke his heart,” Yuuri complained. He reached over and took some left over fries from Leo’s plate. Leo looked at him horrified before moving his plate away from him. “I should never have told you guys,” he droned through a mouth full of fries.

“Oh please, like the others wouldn’t have told us the moment we stepped into the Café anyways.” Leo snipped, glaring at Yuuri.

Leo was right. Although they didn’t go there often because it was a stretch from Juiliard, they would have heard it first thing. Yuuri groaned again and tried to reach for more fries, but Leo slapped his hand this time. “Get your own, pork cutlet bowl.”

Yuuri’s nose crunched at the annoying nickname. “Shut up, Leo. Shouldn’t ballerinas not eat junk food to keep your perfect bodies.”

He just shrugged his shoulders and popped more fries in his mouth. “Sara isn’t the one who’s lifting me. I need sustenance.”

“Speaking of dancing,” JJ said, “I finished the first rough of that piece you guys wanted me to do for you. I’ll email it to you when I get back to my apartment. It’s just as amazing as I thought it would be, obviously. I think I’ll draw the album cover for it in my spare time tomorrow.”

The three began to speak animatedly about the new program they were choreographing together. Yuuri allowed himself to check out mentally whenever they got talking about it. He was the only one out of his university friends that didn’t attend Juilliard. If he had an creative bone in his body he certainly would have, but Yuuri was strictly academic bound. To be honest, he still didn’t know why Sara, Leo, and JJ hung out with them. They had met accidentally at a party one day. Yuuko continually tried to push him to out more often and it led to him going to one where he didn’t know anybody. A girl in one of his classes had asked him if he wanted to go but she ended up not being able to go. She still told him to go though, so he did. It was completely awkward. To make it less so, Yuuri just drank, which turned out to be a bad idea.

The next morning, he woke up in JJ’s bathroom. JJ seemed to find it amusing and convinced him that he had to stay and help clean up since JJ had let him stay. Leo and Sara stopped by while he was there for a project they were supposed to do together. They all ended up hanging out rather than doing any work.

Yuuri hadn’t expected to hear from them when he left, despite having fun himself. But the very next day Sara sent him a friend request on Facebook. Every weekend now, the three stopped by the café while Yuuri worked and they had biweekly lunches.

“Oi, Yuuri?” Sara said, waving her hand in front of his face. Yuuri blinked out of his thoughts, looking at them to see what he was supposed to say.

“Uh... Yes?” Yuuri asked. The three burst into laughter and Yuuri turned bright red. What had he said yes to?

Sara gasped for breath, falling onto Leo for support. “Oh, Yuuri,” she giggled happily. “I didn’t know you wanted Viktor to do such dirty things to you.”

Yuuri’s jaw dropped open and he started to stutter out a protest. His eyes flicked from JJ to Sara and Leo. They were all bubbling over with giggles and giving him lewd looks.

“I don’t even know why I bother,” Yuuri moaned. The waitress strolled by the table and asked if they needed anything more. “Fries... Please.”

The three continued to laugh and poke fun at Yuuri after the waitress walked away. They refused to tell him what he had agreed to but knowing them, he assumed it was something sexual with Viktor. Even thinking about doing anything sexual with Viktor made his gut twist and his body burn. When he was younger, Yuuri and Yuuko used to talk about him fanatically. At one point, he had even bought a poodle just like Viktor had.

When Yuuko’s parents shut down the skating rink during their elementary years, though, they faded away from their obsession. Sure, there were times in his teenage years when he and Yuuko would think back about it. Yuuko would insist that if they still had the skating rink, Yuuri would have become a skater just like Viktor. It was pointless to disagree at that point because in a strange way, he knew that Yuuko was right. Instead of skating, though, Yuuri found himself wanting to be a doctor and focusing on sports injuries. He knew a lot of athletes relied on doctors to help them stay at their best. Yuuri just wanted to be one of those people.

A bell at the door rang quietly and everyone at the table turned to see who stepped it. It wasn’t like this diner was very popular at this time, which was one of the reasons why they went to it.

Emil Nekola stepped in, a grin plastered on his face. His eyes scanned the few full tables before he looked to theirs. “Ah! Sara, my darling!” Emil said, his hand splayed onto his chest. Sara just looked at him amused as he strut over to their table.

His hand jutted out to take Sara’s and he kissed the back of her hand with a bow in his back. “I have not seen you at the rink in a while, my Italian beauty.” Leo snorted into his arm, trying not to roll his eyes at the exuberance of Emil.

Ever since Emil came here to train a few years ago, he had his sight set on wooing Sara. Which, to be truthful, would be hard considering how Sara was more interested in Mila at the moment anyways. Though, Emil didn’t know that. Sara’s eyebrows rose as she pulled her hand from his, smiling just politely enough. “Well, I don’t have much time with our spring presentation coming in three months. April is just around the corner.”

Emil pushed his way into the booth, causing all of them to shift down the seats. Yuuri found himself at the end of the other side of the booth. “Does Michele know you’re here, Emil?” JJ asked, obviously interested to see whether there will be a screaming man walking into the diner in two seconds.

Before he could respond, though, the door slammed open, causing everyone to jump. “You sneaky rat!” Michele screamed, running over to grab Emil by the color. Sara sighed, annoyed by the entire ordeal rather than concerned. She was used to her brother being over protective. Emil was already sputtering out excuses with a smirk on his face.

“Eh, Michele, calm down,” Someone said as they entered the diner. Michele stopped but didn’t let go of Emil as he turned to see who came in. Yuuri squeaked.

It was almost the entire gang of Yakov’s students. Mila stood in between Georgi and Christophe, her arms intertwined with theirs. Viktor hung behind the group, tapping away at his phone. They were all so beautiful that if Yuuri didn’t have more self-control he would have cried.

“Hey there, everyone,” Emil said happily, jerking himself out of Michele’s grip. Michele’s nose curled but he didn’t reach for him again. “What brings you here today?”

Mila let go of Georgi and walked to the booth. As she made eye contact with Sara, she winked, causing Sara to duck her head to hide her blushing face. “Michele followed you, and Viktor said we needed to follow Michele so you guys didn’t kill each other. Yakov would be annoyed if you guys had. We don’t want to be punished for your stupidity.” She casually moved into the empty space that Emil left right by Sara. Michele was to distracted by watching Emil to notice his sister get flustered over the female skater.

Viktor looked up at his name, and looked like he suddenly realized where they were. “Ah... Well... I was joking, mostly, but I guess it was a good idea to follow you guys anyways.” Yuuri could have melted in his seat at Viktor’s accent.

Christophe grabbed one of the chairs from a vacant table and dragged it over to the booth. “I am starving, let’s just eat here.” Mila shrugged her shoulders with no complaint and both of them looked back to other two skaters. Georgi sighed but he grabbed a chair as well.

“As long as Emil doesn’t sit anywhere close to my sister,” Michele snipped, pushing his way into the booth by Mila. Emil scoffed but walked away to grab another chair anyways. Viktor slipped his phone back into his pocket and smiled at everyone sitting down.

“Well, decision is made, I suppose. I do want to sit at the booth though,” Viktor said.

Instantly Yuuri hopped out of the booth, his cheeks burning. “Feel free to take my seat,” he squeaked, his heart beginning to beat a million miles a minute. Viktor looked into his eyes and a soft smile filled his face.

“I wouldn’t dream of it. We can squeeze.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Yuuri slowly sat back down in his sport. Viktor followed, pushing in with his hip and causing the entire length of Yuuri’s side to press against Viktor. Dear god, this man would be the death of him.

Yuuri ended up being squished between Viktor and JJ. JJ didn’t seem to mind as much, only staring over Yuuri to see Viktor. Following JJ, Leo and Sara were tightly packed against each other but neither cared due to how close they often got when dancing. Mila had all her attention directed onto Sara, who she was just as close to as Yuuri was to Viktor. Yuuri made note to tease Sara about this later. If she could poke fun at him getting flustered over Viktor, she would be teased about Mila. Michele was on the end but not pressed against anyone, instead he sat half off the booth seat and glared at Emil, even though he was nowhere near Sara on his chair.

Thankfully, Yuuri didn’t find himself fumbling for conversation because the waitress wandered over to their table carrying fries. Her eyebrows raised at the amount of people that were there now but she didn’t decide to comment on it. She just set the plate of fries down on the table and asked around for other orders.

He was too busy occupying his mouth with food to pay attention to what people ordered. If he didn’t fill his mouth he was sure he would do something stupid, like blurt out how much he obsessed over Viktor when he was younger.

When the waitress walked away, the table started chatting animatedly. While JJ, Yuuri, and Leo were complete strangers to the skaters, Sara knew them from attending her brother’s practises and competitions. Most of them considered her a friend and chatted with her as such. Leo and JJ didn’t mind jumping in the conversation despite their unknown quality and none of the skaters cared either. They all acted like they were close friends. Yuuri, due to his shyness and his eating, kept silent. He didn’t want to intrude on anybody and pretend he was worth their time.

An elbow gentle poked into his side causing Yuuri to shift slightly over, but he couldn’t. When it poked gain, he looked to his side and saw Viktor smiling at him. If his face wasn’t red now, he didn’t know what would make it so. Gesturing to his full mouth, he silently explained he could not speak.

Viktor leaned in a little bit to whisper in his ear, “Do you have a Band-Aid?”

Yuuri nodded quickly, looking down into the bag on his lap. He dug through it quickly, his fingers searching for one of the extra Band-Aids he kept in his bag. He was so clumsy; Yuuko insisted he carried half an emergency kit in there.

When he finally found one, Yuuri pulled it out with a flourish and handed it to Viktor. As Viktor took it from his hands, their fingers brushed again. Automatically, Yuuri swallowed down the food in his mouth.

“I... Why do you need a Band-aid?” Yuuri muttered, trying not to be loud enough to draw attention but not wanting to lean in and whisper it to Viktor.

“Ah, well,” Viktor said, slipping the Band-Aid into one of his pockets. “I just scrapped my knees falling for you.”

The entire table burst into laughter. Yuuri’s face ducked down and he tried not to faint as he stuffed more food in his mouth. The others laughed and commented on Yuuri’s face, saying maybe someone should flirt with him more often if he looked like that. When Yuuri peaked out to see Viktor’s face, he only saw him smiling proudly, like he had gotten the exact reaction he was looking for.

His life was a complete mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Next chapter should be up in a week but no promises!
> 
> As always, I appreciate every comment, kudos, subscribe, and bookmark! You can find me on tumblr @THEGABBING for fic updates and cute posts!


	3. Drink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated!

If there was one thing that he loved about studying abroad, it was studying in the café. While the café wasn’t exactly a hole in the wall place, it stayed relatively quiet during the late afternoon on Sunday’s. Yuuri had begun to consider Sunday his study time. He would take up one of the tables in the corner of the café with his books and pop in some headphones. Yuuko or Takeshi would supply him with regular drinks and something to snack on without him asking. It was literally the best place for him to study when he didn’t need absolute quiet or had to do constant research.

The only problem was sometimes the triplets decided that he needed a break during his studying and would not stop trying to get him to play with them.

It was around the fifth time that one of the triplets pulled out his headphones that Yuuri resolved to take that break. He set down his phone on top of his textbooks and walked over to the counter. There was no point packing up his books when he would be right back studying in a few moments. Axel had decided to attach herself to his back by launching off of a chair while Lutz and Loop grabbed onto his legs. They squealed at him as he shuffled over. Kenjirou practically laughed at him when he approached.

“Not. Funny,” Yuuri grumbled. Kenjirou reached into his pocket and snapped a few photos for Yuuko since she was out on an emergency supply run. Otabek was in the back baking a few things and he ran out of some ingredient. To be honest, Yuuri didn’t pay much attention when she ran over and let him know she would be out for a second. He should have, considering how Yuuko sort of left him unofficially in charge but Kenjirou was mature enough to run things when it was slow. If he was having trouble, he would have come up to Yuuri and asked for help.

Kenjirou returned his phone to his pocket and started working on gathering a snack and drink for him.

Yuuri reached behind him to twist Axel around so he was holding her. She screeched and her other siblings jumped from his legs, clawing jealously at Yuuri. He couldn’t help but laugh at them. The triplets always had a habit of bickering for attention despite all of them getting it equally. Yuuri bent to his knees, setting Axel on her feet, and pulled in the other two for a huge hug.

He missed them before he came to America to study in New York and skype calls were never enough. Obviously now he just changed to missing his parents, but it was nice to have the kids around.

“Hey, Kenjirou,” Yuuri started as he pushed himself up. The triplets dispersed from his feet, running over to the back to bother Otabek. Kenjirou looked up from where he was making a new cappuccino. “Did Yuuko and Takeshi really say I responded that badly to Viktor?”

A huge grin broke out across Kenjirou’s lips. “Well, not badly. Just.... awkwardly.” Yuuri groaned. “If it makes you feel better, he probably won’t come in again,” Kenjirou said, adding a sympathetic smile.

“I don’t know about that,” Yuuri sighed, “I saw him Friday.” Kenjirou raised an eyebrow at him but Yuuri couldn’t help but notice a sad look cross his face. Almost instantly, Yuuri felt his stomach tense. He had forgotten than Kenjirou was still getting over a small crush he had on him. He confessed to liking him a couple months ago but Yuuri only roughly stuttered out that he didn’t feel the same way. Luckily, Kenjirou took it mostly in stride, just every now and then, he would give Yuuri that look. The look that said _I am not completely over you and seeing you every time I work hurts me_. Yuuri started to open his mouth but before he could say anything, Kenjirou shook his head.

With a shrug, he said, “It’s fine, Yuuri. I mean, obviously... Obviously I’m not entirely over everything but... You were right to reject me.” A blush began to fill his cheeks, “Besides, it’s not you were the only one I liked.”

Yuuri’s eyebrows jumped up and his jaw dropped open. The way Kenjirou whispered the small confession made him begin to think, “Kenjirou, do you have a crush on Otabek?”

The cappuccino dropped to the counter, half spilling, as Kenjirou practically launched himself from the counter to cover Yuuri’s mouth. “Yuuri!” Kenjirou hissed, his face blotchy red. Yuuri giggled under Kenjirous hands but he kept his mouth shut. To say that Kenjirou’s tastes were wide range was an obvious understatement. Otabek was practically the complete opposite of him. While Yuuri had a tendency to bubbly and talkative to his friends, Otabek was constantly the strong silent type. Of course, Yuuri knew that there was more to Otabek than that, he just refused to let anybody close enough to see.

Satisfied with Yuuri’s silent, Kenjirou released his grip on him. He looked down to the now half full cappuccino and sighed. “You aren’t getting a new one.” Yuuri laughed out loud this time, watching as Kenjirou roughly wiped the sides before giving Yuuri the cup.

Yuuri didn’t bother to complain simply because he had five cups of coffee today and any more would make Yuuko start to worry. He took the cup from Kenjirou but didn’t leave the counter. Kenjirou set to work wiping up the mess he caused but while his head was down, he asked aloud, “So, what makes you think he’ll come back?”

Both of them knew exactly who he meant and Yuuri could feel himself flush as he remembered Friday. “Uh... I think he likes teasing me? Or... I don’t know, maybe he finds it amusing. He ended up going to the same diner as Leo, Sara, and JJ went to. Well... Emil came in, then Michele, then Mila, Christophe, Georgi, and Viktor came in.”

When he looked up, Kenjirou’s eyes widened to the size of plates, “Holy shit, that’s a lot of skaters.”

“Yeah, it was.... If the triplets were there, they would have screamed and fainted,” Yuuri said, amused with his nieces’ fascination with skating. Kenjirou nodded, pausing in his cleaning to gesture for Yuuri to continue. “Well, anyways, they decided to all eat with us, which was an adventure and a half. And... I don’t know, I guess Viktor said something to me that sort of made me think that he found teasing me fun.”

“Which was?” Kenjirou prompted. Yuuri tried to ignore the blush filling his cheeks as he spat out the line Viktor gave him. Before Kenjirou could react, Yuuri chugged some of his cappuccino. When Yuuri swallowed and looked back to Kenjirou, he was only smirking. “Oh, I bet he likes teasing you.”

Drinking the rest of the cup, Yuuri set it down on the other side of the counter. He curled up his nose at him and waved him off. Kenjirou cackled as Yuuri walked away and it took everything for Yuuri not to shout to Otabek that he liked him. Kenjirou and the others may be cruel with their relentless jokes, but he wouldn’t be that mean.

After Yuuri settled back into his seat with his headphones pressed into his ears, he heard the bell ring letting them know a customer had walked into the store. Yuuri made sure to keep his music quiet enough that he could still hear it, so he would know when it was the start of a rush. He didn’t look up from his books but he did keep an ear on the door just in case more people were coming in. While Yuuko was gone, Kenjirou was the only one manning the counter.

He was half way through reading a new page of human anatomy when someone plopped down in the seat oppsite of him. Yuuri began to take out his headphones, ready to ask the person why they decided to sit across from him when there were plenty of empty tables but he stopped short.

Viktor smiled widely at him. One hand held a to-stay coffee cup and the other waved a quick hello. “Hi there!”

His headphone buds dropped to his lap and Yuuri stuttered out a broken response, “I- uh – I, ah, why – why are you here?”

Thankfully, Viktor didn’t seem to be upset by the abrupt question, and just adjusted Yuuri’s textbooks so there was a spot for his coffee. “I’ve never properly introduced myself. I’m-”

“Viktor Nikiforov, the best figure skater in the world,” Yuuri spat out before he could stop himself. Viktor’s cheeks turned pink.

“Ah... so... you know of me but I do not know you. I don’t think that’s fair,” Viktor said, the words falling off his tongue like liquid. There was no hesitance or pause. It made Yuuri’s stomach flip over.

  
“I... I’m not... Ah, I’m Yuuri. Yuuri Katsuki.” When Viktor didn’t say anything, Yuuri filled in the silence. “I’m studying to be a doctor at NYU.”

Viktor hummed and grabbed the coffee he had set down to take a sip. “Which explains these,” Viktor makes a wide gesture the textbooks and notes plastered across the table which Yuuri promptly starts to shuffle around. Yuuri attempts to stutter out an apology but it’s blocked when Viktor lays his hand across one of Yuuri’s frantic ones, laughing. “It’s fine, Yuuri Katsuki, I don’t mind.” Yuuri stopped himself from tearing away his hand, if only to prevent Viktor from being offended. He hoped that Viktor wouldn’t notice that his hands were sweating. “So!” Viktor said as he took his hand away, “tell me, why do you think I’m the best figure skater in the world.”

A confused look crossed Yuuri’s face as Viktor leaned back in his seat. Awkwardly, Yuuri shuffled some papers, trying to figure out what Viktor was really asking. Obviously, he thought that Viktor was the best figure skater in the world right now because he was. Almost everybody in the figure skating world agreed with the fact, like the sky was mostly blue and the grass is mostly green.  “Ah... Well... Everyone-” Yuuri began, but quickly stopped when Viktor shook his head.

“I know what others think, Yuuri. I want to know why you agree with it,” Viktor explained. He was neither angry or annoyed, but instead looked at Yuuri patiently, like his answer truly mattered to him.

“Why?” Yuuri asked. The fact that Viktor seemed to be actively waiting for his answer completely threw Yuuri. It wasn’t like Yuuri was involved in the skating community; his opinion held no merit to Viktor.

Viktor shrugged his shoulders. Taking the stirring stick in his drink, he gave it a quick spin. “I... I find myself wondering if people are only saying this because it is widely agreed upon. Perhaps when I was younger, my victories new and exciting, the idea was based in fact. Now, though, I believe it is only agreed upon because no one new has come along to apply that label to.” As Viktor spoke, his face seemed to soften. The usual smile that was painted on his face in photos and interviews gone, and in its place, a type of mournful look. Yuuri’s breath froze in his lungs. He had never seen Viktor like this before, not even in his trials as a young skater. It was like the man didn’t believe in himself anymore.

Yuuri didn’t reach out to grab Viktor’s hands, even though he wanted to. Instead, his hands dropped to his own knees and he squeezed. “That’s wrong.” Viktor’s eyes flicked back to his, the stir stick dangling in his fingertips now. Before continuing, his eyes dropped to his book on the table. “There have been plenty new skaters that could have taken the title from you if you were to have fallen from grace. Adam Rippon is new and up and coming, he has potential to climb to the top. Yuri Plisetsky is still in the beginning of his career and he is already taking the senior level skating my storm. There are many who could usurp you, but it is your drive, passion, and creativity that keep you on top. People... I say that you are the best skater because you are, not because it’s a band wagon I jumped on.”

His words hung in the air as his lips closed. Viktor didn’t say anything acknowledging them and Yuuri felt too scared to look up at Viktor’s face. What he said was... from the heart, and Yuuri believed in whole heartedly. When he saw Viktor looked distraught and unsure of himself, Yuuri needed to prove Viktor that what he was feeling was wrong. He needed Viktor to know that he was more than just a place holder for the next skater. The title was earned by him through hard work and determination.

“Yuuri?” Viktor said softly. “You owe me a drink.”

Yuuri looked up at Viktor through his eyelashes. He noted the soft blush on Viktor’s cheeks and the new smile on his face. It wasn’t something Yuuri had seen on his face in interviews or during a program; it was the smile that was captured by paparazzi when Viktor was speaking to close friends. His heart thumped. “And why is that?” Yuuri asked. He couldn’t help but smile back at Viktor. The smile was almost infectious.

Viktor smiled and leaned over the table. His scarf barely touched the rim of his cup. “Because when I looked at you, I dropped mine.”

Instead of getting flustered, Yuuri sighed, almost shocking himself at his reaction. “Your cup is full, Viktor.”

Frowning, Viktor looked to his cup and deflated. “Ah, would you look at that.”

Yuuri could barely stop himself from rolling his eyes in amusement before returning to his studying, enjoying the company of Viktor across the table while he finished his drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So sorry I didn't update last monday, some things ended up happening, family things. I sort of explained on my tumblr but it's really something I don't want to get into. 
> 
> Anyways, I should be back on track! I'm still on winter break, but once my university classes startup again, updates may be more erratic depending on my work load this semester. 
> 
> As always, I appreciate every comment, kudos, bookmark, subscribe, and art! Find me on tumblr at TheGabbing.


	4. Nickel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually surprised that I'm uploading today.

The keys rattled as Yuuri locked up the café. Yuuko and Takeshi were upstairs with the triplets having their weekly movie night so they asked Yuuri if he could lock up. He didn’t mind doing it, considering it gave him an excuse to be late to Sara’s party. Technically it was also Michele’s party, but he wasn’t necessarily Michele’s friend so Yuuri didn’t think that counted.

Sara asked him a month ago to come to the party. There was a lot of begging, food, and bribing involved. Out of the small group, Yuuri was the one who didn’t like parties. Even though they had all met each other at one, Yuuri didn’t make a habit of going to them. The only reason why he went to parties the first year that he was in America was to meet new friends. Now that he had a group of friends, he didn’t need to go to parties anymore. All Yuuri needed was them.

Despite Yuuri saying yes a month ago, he hoped that something would eventually come up. Nothing did, though, which was why he was walking down the street to the bus stop in pants too tight and a shirt that hugged him unusually. He promised Sara that he would let her dress him, a portion of her birthday present. Sara had an odd fascination with dressing Yuuri, and who was Yuuri to deny his friend her favorite thing to do besides dancing? Of course, Yuuri also got her a new necklace that he stuffed in his jacket pocket so it wouldn’t get lost.

When the bus finally got there, Yuuri was already an hour and a half late. Sara was texting him angrily, which Leo said was because she was drunk. Whenever Sara drank, she got clingy and angry at people who weren’t there for her to cling to. Yuuri was used to her messages. Sara would forget her anger the moment he got there.

The bus was filled with college age students, dressed for a night of partying. Most of them were filling the back of the bus so Yuuri took one of the front seats. He could hear a group giggle about their newest crush or the new person they were seeing. It almost made his cheeks want to flare up when they began to talk about the people they would give anything to have sex with.

“Viktor Nikiforov, hands down,” one of the girls said. “He practices in the same rink my boyfriend sometimes works at. I always pretend to be waiting for him when really I’m just watching Viktor skate.” The group screeched and all begin to share their fascination with the man. Yuuri wanted to turn around and tell them that Viktor was more than a pretty face but he knew better. He counted his blessings when the bus pulled up to his stop when the group began to graphically describe what they think Viktor was like in bed.

The last thing he needed was to think of Viktor was like that. Yuuri already hard enough time dealing with those inappropriate thoughts at night, he didn’t want to think about that now. Especially not when there was a chance Viktor would be at the party. It wasn’t like Yuuri was stupid, he knew that Viktor and Michele were friends. He just hoped to dear god that Sara wasn’t drunk enough to tell Viktor that Yuuri had an unnatural obsession with him as a kid.

The walk to Michele and Sara’s apartment wasn’t long from the stop. Thankfully, it wasn’t that cold yet and the leather jacket that Sara wanted him to wear was warm enough for him. As soon as he walked through the front door, the concierge at the front desk smiled at him. “A guest to Ms. And Mr. Crispino’s party, I’m assuming.”

Yuuri nodded, a blush on his face. “I’m Yuuri Katsuki.” After the girl looked at the list, she gestured him to go through the door that separated the elevators from the entrance. The door beeped when he opened it, and Yuuri tried not to jump at the sound. No matter how many times he came over, he never got used to how fancy their apartment was. It only made sense considering that Michele had some... aggressive fans.

Just as the elevator door was closing, Yuuri heard the annoying beep that meant someone was coming through the door. He reached over and pressed the open door button repeatedly, trying to keep it open for the new person coming through. The door opened back up and Yuuri instantly regretted doing so.

“Oh hey, you’re Yuuri, Sara’s friend,” Mila said, a smile on her face.

The entire skating troop is standing in there, and by entire, he really did mean it. The five he had met at their lunch stood there, along with Yuri Plisetsky and Seung-Gil Lee. It was like everybody Yuuri was fascinated with as a child had decided to come to the party.

Stuttering around his words, Yuuri mumbled out a _yeah_ , before ducking his head like he wasn’t worthy of their presence. The skaters pushed forward to pile into the elevator. After a little shuffling around and being brushed by other people, finally everybody was stuffed comfortably in the space.

When the elevator started to move, Yuuri looked up to see where everyone was. Only he was faced with Viktor practically looming over him. Yuuri squeaked from surprise, and thankfully everyone was too busy chatting with each other to notice; except, of course, for Viktor, who smirked proudly at his ability to make Yuuri squeak. It had only been a while since he first saw Viktor and it seemed like Yuuri made that sound every time he saw him.

“Hello there, Yuuri Katsuki,” Viktor said, in his accented English that just made Yuuri want to melt.

Trying to adopt his previous attitude when Viktor came to the café, Yuuri crossed his arms. “The elevator isn’t that tightly packed, Viktor.” He had to admit, he was a little shocked that his voice came out so steady when his heart was thumping in his chest so quickly.

Viktor shrugged his shoulders, the smirk still on his lips, “If I had a nickel every time I saw someone as beautiful as you, I’d have five cents.” Yuuri snorted at Viktors joke, unable to help to chuckle that escaped from his mouth. The proud smirk on Viktor’s face changed into that soft smile that made Yuuri forget what he was doing. “Are you here for Sara?”

Yuuri nodded, “And you guys for Michele, I’m assuming?”

The skater looked over his shoulder towards Emil, who was busy whispering with Mila with red cheeks. “More to make sure Michele doesn’t kill Emil.”

“Sara doesn’t like him like that,” Yuuri said, uncomfortable with the thought of Emil chasing her all night. “I hope he knows that.”

“Oh he doesn’t like her like that either,” Viktor said. He looked over to Emil again, seemingly amused. “It’s just the only way he knows to get Michele’s attention.”

His mouth formed a soft _oh_ , suddenly realizing the situation. Sara must not know that Emil was after his brother because she had assured them all that Emil was trying to woo her. It wasn’t like it didn’t make sense. With the way Emil acted, someone who didn’t know the entire story would assume that. “Why doesn’t he just-”

Before Yuuri can finish his sentence, the door of the elevator is opening. Everyone stepped out, making their way down the hall of doors towards the end. Viktor and Yuuri were the last two to step out, being in the far corner. He turned his face to continue asking Viktor his question, but Viktor was already answering. “He and Emil have been skating together for years. When Sara moved here to go to Julliard, Michele left to New York too and to be coached by Yakov. Emil stayed behind for a few years but we all knew he would follow eventually.” Yuuri nodded, unsure how it answered his question. “We, the team I suppose, think it is because Emil is scared. Of losing Michele, I suppose. They may fight like cats and dogs whenever Sara is in the room, but they are great friends. We like to think Michele gets mad at Emil when he flirts with Sara less because it is his sister and more because Emil is giving him less attention.”

“Oh...” Yuuri mumbled. He looked towards Emil, who was launching himself through the now open door at the twins. While his arms wrapped around them both, he held Michele tighter, despite his lips pressing against Sara’s cheek. Yuuri could hear Michele’s swearing from where he was as Michele dragged Emil away from his sister. The look on Michele’s face only confirmed what Viktor had said. Michele looked angry, obviously, but the man had a soft edge to his eyes when he scolded Emil.

Sara squealed happily when she saw Yuuri, pushing through Seung-Gil and Yuri to get to him. She slapped a wet kiss onto both his cheeks and grabbed the collar of his jacket. “You wore it!” The girl screamed, her words slurring ever so slightly.

“It is your birthday present,” Yuuri grumbled. She was clawing at his jacket, trying to peal it off of him. He let her shrug it off him, even though it felt uncomfortable to be without the jacket. The shirt she wanted him to wear was... tight. It also had a steep V-neck that showed most of his collar bones. When Yuuri glanced at Viktor, he turned bright red. Viktor was just staring at him, with wide eyes and this look in them that absolutely could not be lust because that just made no sense.

The birthday girl screamed again. She took Yuuri’s hand and twirled him around so she could see him fully. “Yuuri, oh my god, your ass looks so amazing!” Almost immediately, she turned towards Viktor, the nearest person, “Doesn’t his ass look amazing?”

Yuuri squeaked – again – and started to wave his hands, “Ah, Viktor, you don’t have to answer that, she’s drunk and –”

“It does though,” Viktor said, his Russian accent coming off heavier than usual, “Your ass is.... You have an amazing body, Yuuri.”

If at all possible, Yuuri’s head would have exploded. Viktor Nikiforov has just complimented his butt and told him he had an amazing body. His life, was absolutely, not real. Everything that has happened has been a dream, that had to be it. “I’m jealous of the person who gets to see you without any clothes.”

“I don’t!” Yuuri practically yelled. Sara laughed at his outburst but Yuuri wasn’t taking his eyes off of Viktor. “I mean... There... nobody gets to... or there is no one who – I don’t have a boyfriend.” The moment the word _boyfriend_ left his lips, he wanted to turn around and slam his head onto the wall. _Great, yeah, just tell the guy you ~~used to~~ fantasize about that your gay, because of course._

Viktor smiled brightly. “Well –”

The giggling from Sara stopped and she whisper-yelled, “Viktor! Oh, did you know that Yuuri used to –”

Yuuri tackled Sara to the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who do not follow my tumblr (which you should because fic updates), I wasn't actually going to post today? I had nothing done of the fic and was on a road trip half of the day. I figured whatever, it was fine, I'll try to write what I can and if I don't get the chapter done, it doesn't get done.
> 
> But it did? and I just? like okay... thanks brain for not sucking today. 
> 
> So here you guys go! A little late, I suppose, because I normally upload in the morning but eh, at least you guys got it!
> 
> This chapter was actually supposed to be longer, but I decided to split it in half, just because I think it will work better that way #writerfreedom. 
> 
> As always, I appreciate every kudos, comment, subscribe, bookmark and art. You can find me on tumblr @thegabbing.


	5. Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating changed from General to Teen. Tags added this chapter:
> 
> Dirty Dancing

Thankfully, Viktor didn’t seem to think that Yuuri tackling Sara was anything out of the ordinary. Yuuri pretended to screech birthday congratulations at her, but had his hand covering her mouth the entire time. When Sara finally looked at him like she gave up, he pulled both of them back to their feet. Viktor was still laughing, enjoying the interaction between the two friends.

Before Sara could go back on her word, or look, he supposed, Yuuri excused them from Viktor. The excuse of needing to wish Michele happy birthday worked and the man only waved them away before walking over to Emil. He was back to pouting in the corner because Michele excused himself to curl up next to Mila on the couch. The birthday girl whined, obviously wanting to spend more time with the skaters, but as long as Yuuri was here, like hell he would let her.

The longer he could avoid Viktor finding out about his awkward teenage crush, the better. Yuuri was almost positive that if he found out about the crush, Viktor would stop giving him pick-up lines. As cheesy, horrible, and embarrassing as they were, he felt as if it was Viktor trying to be friendly.

Sara was still pouting at him, whining about him preventing her from hooking the two up. “Yuuri!” Sara dragged his name on until she had to stop for a breath. “My baby. My child. All I want for you is for you to get fucked by Viktor.”

“Sara!” Yuuri hissed. He looked around quickly, barely relaxing when he saw Viktor across the entire apartment. With the music thumping out of Sara’s speakers, there was no way he heard that, thankfully.

The pout, if at all possible, got larger. Her bottom lip jutted out as she slurped more of her drink that Yuuri made for her. At the moment, he kind of regretted plying her with more alcohol. “Or, I mean, you could fuck him, that would be equally great.”

Again, Yuuri snapped her name. She cackled, evilly he would describe it as, and chugged the rest of her drink. “Oh come on! We all know you have been hot for him forever. Why do you think I kept trying to drag you to my brother’s practises? I thought it would take forever for you two to meet. You’re his type, Yuuri! At least he knows you now, he probably won’t stop chasing after you until you guys are married.”

Giving up trying to stop his friend from her unusual fantasy, Yuuri just downed the rest of his drink. It was kind of unfortunate that it had no alcohol in it, but there was no way he was going to be drinking tonight. Every time he started drinking... well... Let’s just say it wouldn’t exactly be pretty. Yuuri was not going to risk Viktor seeing him like that.

Sara slammed her solo-cup down on the coffee table, screeching out what seemed like a war cry. “Yuuri!” She jumped up and down as her hands fumbled for his. “Yuuri! This song! I love this song!” He couldn’t help but roll his eyes at her. Obviously, she loved the song. She put together the playlist for the party ages ago.

Still, he allowed her to drag him towards the ‘dance floor’ or the area of the living room that people decided would be the dance floor. Sara’s hips were already shifting to the beat as she squealed, dragging Yuuri behind her. Her hand was firmly attached to his wrist, making it press against the small of her back so they wouldn’t be separated. The floor wasn’t exactly crowded like a club, but needless to say, it was pretty full considering most of the people at the party were, in fact, dancers.

She led them to where JJ and Leo were on the dance floor. The boys smirked when they showed up, easily making room for the four of them to slip together easier. Even though Yuuri didn’t drink often, he had been dancing enough with the three of them that they seemed to have a routine.

Yuuri fitted between Sara and Leo, his back curling against Leo’s chest. His hands moved from Sara’s hands to her waist, caressing them. Her hips flicked side to side, showing him the beat. Yuuri wasn’t particularly musically talent and after too many times of Sara getting mad at him dancing off beat, she forced his hands to stay on her hips, or one of the boys depending who was where. JJ moved in front of Sara, his hands falling onto Yuuri’s own hips.

Leo’s breath puffed hot laughter against his neck as he saw JJ flick his eyes to the side of the room. The girl that JJ had been trying to court for months was leaning against a while, staring at him with a smirk. Isabella was her name, if Yuuri remembered correctly.

As soon as the song’s beat dropped, the four of them found their usual rhythm. Sara wiggled herself between JJ and Yuuri. Her hands moved from Yuuri’s neck to JJ’s chest, purring as her hips moved. When her legs bent, the other three moved with her, following her lead like they always did. Leo’s hands pressed tight against Yuuri’s chest, and when Sara wasn’t bringing Yuuri’s face into the crook of her shoulder, he bent back to drop it on Leo’s shoulder. JJ would press his mouth against Sara’s collarbone, looking over to Isabella with a dark look in his eyes. The way that Isabella looked back only seemed to confirm that JJ’s plan was working.

Yuuri let himself press harder against Leo, laughing softly when Leo groaned and dropped his forehead to Yuuri’s shoulder. His hands would pinch some the skin on his hips in retaliation, making Yuuri return to moving tighter against Sara.

Sara sighed happily, looking back to Yuuri and Leo with heavily lids and a sensuous grin on her face. As her hand pulled Yuuri down to her, her lips pressed against his ears. “Ten o’clock, Yuuri, you’ve got your own Isabella.” Sara jutted out her chin in the direction she meant, neither of them with enough energy to actually know where ten o’clock was. Following her direction, he saw what she meant.

In front of them, through the crowd on the dance floor, Yuuri could see Viktor staring at them rather... heatedly. His face ducked down to Sara’s shoulder, and her body shook against his from laughter. The last thing he needed was to get a boner and have Sara make fun of him for it for the rest of their lives. There was no way she would let it go if he did.

But when he looked up, every single fragment of common sense left his brain. Slowly, and deliberately, Yuuri moved on hand from Sara’s hip. JJ raised an eyebrow at him, but smirked knowingly after Sara whispered in his ear as well. His hand curled around the back of Leo’s neck, bring him closer to him. Leo huffed, but followed his lead, and so did Sara.

Sara guided the beat, her hips moving, hands caressing everything within her reach – and within sight. Yuuri’s eyelids dropped a fraction when Leo’s lips pressed underneath his ear. JJ himself shifted himself over, so that Viktor could see things clearly, and not just have a peak over his shoulder. His body thrummed when he saw Viktor lick his lips. Instinctually, Yuuri bit his lip, in a way he hoped was attractive and not like the nervous child he felt like he was.

Yuuri’s body tensed as the song tapered off.

_Oh my god..._

Face red, Yuuri’s hands dropped from where they were. Before any of his friends could interrogate him, or wiggle their eyebrows at him, Yuuri skittered off the dance floor.  He did that. He. Did. _That_. It was like an out of body experience, he couldn’t believe himself –he was... sort of, maybe, flirting with Viktor across the dance floor. The last time he did that... well the last time he did that, he actually got laid.

Practically running off, Yuuri ducked into the kitchen, refusing to look at anybody. Hopefully nobody else noticed, he was going to get enough teasing from his friends, he didn’t need any of the skaters doing the same.

He filled a solo cup with water and chugged it down as quickly as he could. Tossing it back on the counter, Yuuri finally let himself breathe.

Maybe... maybe it wasn’t that bad. Viktor said pick-up lines to him, maybe Yuuri could just say it was for JJ, for his quest for Isabella.

“Dance with me if I’m wrong,” Viktor slurred, his body leaning onto the wall next to Yuuri, “But isn’t your name Lucas.”

Surprisingly, instead of making Yuuri feel even more embarrassed, the pick-up line just made him snort. Apparently, Viktor’s pick-up lines were just as atrocious when he was drunk as when he was sober. Turning to see Viktor, Yuuri smiled at him, his embarrassment forgotten. “Mm, sorry, my name is actually Lucas Skywalker. I lied to you, it’s not Yuuri.”

The pout that slid across Viktor’s face made his response worth it. Viktor whined, literally whined, and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “So, they get to dance with you, but I don’t? Unfair.”

Yuuri’s cheeks burned at the action. It was fucking adorable that Viktor just started to pout because he said no. “They’re my friends, I always dance with them.”

Viktor huffed, but didn’t uncross his arms. “Fine. If I get you a drink, then we can be friends, and then you can dance with me.”

“I don’t drink alcohol, but nice try, Viktor,” Yuuri laughed. When Viktor tilted his head, Yuuri explained, “I, uh, get a little affectionate, when I’m drunk.”

Obviously, his friends thought this was the perfect time to pipe up. JJ and Leo popped over from across the kitchen, with Sara hanging between the two of them. Leo started, “What Yuuri means to say –”

“–Guys–”

“–is he makes out with the nearest hot person when he’s drunk,” JJ finished. Sara giggled happily, her hands flying between Viktor and him, mumbling out absolute gibberish – or, in all likelihood, Italian. Yuuri almost sighed out in relief. She had gotten to the point of drinking where she forgot to speak English. He was pretty sure that Viktor only knew Russian and English, so no worry there of having Sara spill any more secrets – like Yuuri actually never danced _that_ sexually with them and it was all just a show for Viktor.

Still, Leo and JJ were the problem. Neither of them had the same habit of Sara, so there was no chance that Leo would just start speaking Spanish and JJ would blab in French. Refusing to look towards Viktor, Yuuri just kept his head down as he grumbled. “That is a blatant lie.”

Lifting his eyes to his friends, he saw the three of him looking at him with amusement. JJ spoke first. “Yuuri, the first time I met you, you literally made out with me for ten minutes than promptly fell asleep in my bathtub.”

Leo sighed, leaning back with his hand on his heart. “Ah, and I was so jealous until my birthday party last year. I got thirty minutes in heaven. I mean, you did end up puking on the shoes you got me but...” He shrugged, letting the smirk on his face speak for himself.

Sara, deciding it was her turn, spoke in rapid Italian, which Yuuri could only assume was her trying to tell her story. Promptly, JJ filled in Viktor. “What my pathetically drunk friend is trying to say, I think, is that Yuuri even spent a good five minutes kissing her once. Obviously only five minutes because Yuuri is the gayest thing since Adam Rippon.”

Yuuri groaned, dropping his head into his hands. Sara continued on speaking until Yuuri heard her brother come to take her. He spoke to her in just as quick Italian, before turning to the group. By then, Yuuri had looked up. “Sorry, I’m going to pawn her off on Mila, maybe she’ll forget that Mila speaks Italian and confess her love to her or something. Maybe then Emil would back the fuck off.” Yuuri couldn’t help but forget about his own troubles and smirk at the tone of Michele’s voice. So apparently, Michele did know that Sara liked Mila. If only he realized Emil was only interested in him.

It was only a matter of time after Michele walked off with Sara that the other two followed. JJ wandered back to Isabella, leaning over to whisper in her ear before taking her hand and bringing her to the dance floor. In the other side of the room, Leo joined some of his friends from Julliard by the couches that were pushed off to one side of the room. Yuuri couldn’t help but shift his weight now that he was alone with Viktor again.

“You know, I could introduce you to Adam,” Viktor said after a beat of silence between them.

With raised eyebrows, Yuuri turned to face him. He hadn’t moved from his spot leaning on the wall. “You know Adam Rippon?” Which, of course Viktor knew Adam, they had competed against each other more than enough to know each other.

Viktor shrugged, “Ah, well, we’ve been in the same competitions for our entire lives. Friendly rivals, I would call our relationship. We used to compete about everything, how many jumps we could pull off, our step-sequences, how many guys we could kiss at banquets.”

Almost instantly, Yuuri started to sputter, his eyes widening until he was sure he looked like a deer in headlights. Viktor tilted his head, an amused smirk playing across his lips.

“You-ah, shit – I mean? Fuck, eh– Gay?” Yuuri stuttered. His hands waved up and down at Viktor’s entire body, and dear god, everything was just getting more embarrassing by the second.

He chuckled, finding the situation amusing, apparently. “Mm. It’s not necessarily as public knowledge as Adam’s sexuality is, but I don’t hide it. It’s why I moved to practise here. Yakov... he just came along, didn’t agree with the ‘banning of gay propaganda’ either.” Viktor looked away from Yuuri, towards his other friend scattered across the apartment. “Yakov is, well, he is strict and mostly terrifying, but don’t let anyone tell you he doesn’t care. Most of the skaters he coaches, it’s the skaters that have something to hide, something to get away from. It’s why I’ve stuck with him for so long. We are... a family.”

Even though he didn’t mean to do it, Yuuri found himself smiling at the genuine content expression on Viktor’s face. There was a sad undertone to it, obviously because he had lost a part of himself when Russian declared it’s homophobia out loud. But... somehow Yuuri knew that Viktor wouldn’t have wished it differently.

“Japan... isn’t the best either. We don’t have the laws that Russia does but gay people, anybody from the community I suppose, face a lot of hate. My family accepts me, thankfully, but they knew I couldn’t have stayed there. It’s why I came here when Yuuko and Takeshi offered me a job at their café,” Yuuri explained. He wasn’t necessarily sure whether he was overstepping his boundaries, whether he was just making this about him, but he wanted – needed – to share something with Viktor. Yuuri wanted to show that he understood, to an extent.

Viktor looked back to Yuuri, the smile on his face kind, understanding, and just... in awe. “And I am glad that you did. Who knows. If Russia didn’t have these laws, if Japan didn’t have that stigma, we might have never met.” A pause. “Meeting you has made me think about things I haven’t thought about in a long time.”

“Oh?” Yuuri squeaked. Whether Viktor meant the sentence as emotional or sexually, it _moved_ him. It meant something.

Smirking, Viktor leaned closer until Yuuri could feel his lips barely brushing his ear. But just as Viktor sucked in a breath, he was suddenly pulled away. Both Yuuri and Viktor turned to glare at the person who had just grabbed Viktor’s wrist.

Emil froze, his eyes flicking between the two of them. “Did... I interrupt?”

Sighing, Viktor took back his wrist. He looked back to Yuuri, an apology in his glance, before turning back his attention to Emil. “What do you want?”

Whining, Emil said, “You promised to watch me. I wanna get shit faced.” Emil’s chin gestured over to a corner of the apartment that Yuuri couldn’t see but Viktor could. Viktor groaned, annoyed and crossing his arms over his chest.

“Fine. Only because I promised. You owe me.” Emil cheered, running over to the other side of the kitchen to grab a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses. Viktor was still frowning as Emil came back to collect him, but he paused. Pointing between himself and Yuuri, he said, “We will finish this later.”

And then they were gone, disappearing into the crowd of people.

Yuuri pinched himself. He didn’t wake up and _fuck_ , that really hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to those who thought the new tag would apply to Yuuri and Viktor.....................................  
> YOU THOUGHT! AHAHAHHAH!
> 
> No but honestly, you guys, this is all you are getting. No lies. Sorry. Bye. Thats the only sexual shit you guys will ever get because jokes on you, you guys signed up to a fic written by a pathetic asexual who can't write porn ahahahahahahha whoops?
> 
> Okay, and originally this chapter was going to be like almost 5k so i decided to split it. Mostly because that means I now have a chapter already written for next week #lazy.  
> New year, same irresponsible fic writer, sorry not sorry
> 
> But hey, shit guys, I'm on time? When's that ever happened during a school year (answer: Never). 
> 
> I honestly love writing this chapter? just... Amazing. Also, below is a copied not from my other fic that will explain a few things. 
> 
> *So, unfortunately, my uni has started back up again. And if any of you guys are long time readers, you know what that means.... updates are going to be sparse. Probably incredibly so nearing end of February. I have one class that 95% of my grade relies upon a group research project, one that has such a strict (but good) teacher that I'm sure he will murder me by the end of the class, another that has only 3 exams the entire year and all of them are short answers. So in other words, I'm going to be worked to the bone this semester.
> 
> That means one of two things. 1. I will not be updating regularly due to no time to write. 2. I will be updating regularly due to need time to destress and writing does that for me. So.... like literally, I have know idea what this year will hold for updates.*
> 
> As always guys, I appreciate every comment, kudos, subscribe, bookmark, and art (please dear god someone art the dancing scene im a thirsty hoe thnks). You guys can find me on tumblr at [thegabbing](http://thegabbing.tumblr.com/) for fic updates.


	6. Cold

Everything that had just happened was not a dream. He actually danced sexually with his friends while looking directly at Viktor. Viktor wanted to dance with him after. Viktor literally told him that he was gay. Viktor was _flirting_ with him. Not just some playful pick-up lines, either, actual flirting was taking place.

In all... it kind of looked like, Viktor... maybe did like Yuuri? In more than just a friendly, playful joking, way. Yuuri might just die.

Pivoting on his heels, Yuuri started to leave the kitchen, desperately wanting to find one of his friends to just _talk_ to. He needed someone to confirm his suspicions. Even though they had been joking about the attraction since Yuuri had met Viktor, if Yuuri wanted to seriously talk about it, he knew his friends would give him their honest answers.

Just as he turned the corner from the kitchen, Yuuri felt someone bump into his chest – hard. Yelping in shock, he jumped back, his eyes wide and already sputtering out an apology. He looked down to see a short blonde haired boy glaring up at him. Yuri Plisetsky. _Shit._

Yuri looked up at him, his nose curled in disgust and annoyance. “Watch where you’re going, pig.”

“Uh- I’m sorry.” Yuuri’s hand jutted out, offering it to Yuri like they were meeting at some god damn office meeting and not at a party where everyone was drunk. “I’m Yuuri Katsuki. A friend of Sara’s.” He said this explanation like it would somehow make everything make sense.

If at all possible, Yuri’s face contorted even more to show just how much he didn’t fucking care. “You’re him.” Yuuri tilled his head, confused. Sighing, Yuri waved his hand. “Him. The god damn asshole that Viktor can’t shut up about.”

Yuuri’s cheeks heated. _Can’t shut up about_. If anything, it just confirmed that Yuuri’s assumption. “I- um-”

“I don’t even know why he talks to you,” Yuri grumbled. His hands moved to his hips as he looked Yuuri up and down critically. “All I see is a fat nobody.”

The words stab into Yuuri’s chest. Sharp as knives. _Fat_. He hadn’t... he hadn’t been called that in years but it hurt just as much as he used. His chest sucked in a breath but it felt as if it didn’t quite reach his lungs. Trying to ignore the burning feeling in the back of his eyes, Yuuri’s fists clenched at his sides. _Fat_. Yuri smirked, leaning back to look at his victory. He desperately wished that he wasn’t so easy to read. He was sure that everyone who looked over could see that he had just been gutted. Yuuri tried to breath in again and it didn’t fill his chest. The words were like weights, pressing down and preventing him from breathing. _Fat_ ; the hissed insult rattled in his head again, going back and forth like a ping-pong ball.

Eyes blinking, Yuuri’s mouth opened and closed. He needed to answer, needed to fight back. His throat was clenching, though, stopping anything and everything he wanted to say from coming out.

Vaguely, Yuuri registered Christophe calling Yuri away. Something about alcohol and being underage and needing to take care of the kid, but Yuuri couldn’t pay attention. Every thought and shred of self-hatred he had thought he got over years ago was bubbling to the surface.

Yuuri began to frantically look around. He needed someone. He could already feel a panic building and he had to talk to someone. His eyes flicked across the rooms, finding each of his friends. Sara was draped across Mila on the couch, passed out already. Leo was dancing with a group of his friends, laughing and having the time of his life. JJ, hell, he was nowhere to be seen but Yuuri could only imagine he was in a dark corner with Isabella.

No one. There was no one he could go to.

His breathing got heavier as he continued to try and fill his lungs. Every breath made the tension in his chest worse; every though weighed heavy on his mind.

And then the cake comes out. Drunk voices begin to serenade the birthday girl and guy, one dancer holding the cake above everybody. Mila shrugged Sara off, dragging her to enjoy her birthday cake. Normally, god, normally Yuuri would just go join them, shrug off the word like nothing, because that’s what it was – that’s what it should have been. But it wasn’t. Not today. Just... not today.

He had to get out.

So that’s what he did. Slipping between people, his head ducked down to hide his tears, Yuuri walked out. He found his jacket laying across a chair in the corner of the room with a bunch of other jackets. Nobody would notice if he left now. If Sara, JJ, or Leo ended up noticing, he would explain to them that Yuuko just needed him back. Something wrong with the Café, like Otabek calling in sick and needing help baking earlier in the morning. The excuses would come and he wouldn’t have to make Sara feel awkward. She had invited Yuri, the last thing he wanted was to feel like it was her fault.

Wiggling his phone out of his pocket, he almost dropped Sara’s necklace. _Shit_.

He’d have to give it to her later because he just couldn’t stay. He couldn’t. Everything was just closing in and his body felt unnatural and _wrong_. Nothing was right anymore. He needed to get out, get to a place where he could breath.

In the elevator, he fumbled with his phone until he started to call Yuuko. She answered after three rings. “Yuuri, it’s god damn fucking 2am –”

“Yuuko, I...” He trailed off. His voice was already wavering and he couldn’t finish the sentence.

But he didn’t have to. “I got the address in my emergency notes. I’ll be there in twenty minutes, sweetie, fifteen if I get all green lights. Sit tight.”

The phone went back into his pocket.

_I don’t even know why he talks to you. All I see is a fat nobody._

The words echoed in Yuuri’s mind. Despite being used to the insult, after it had been hissed at him in school hallways and spat out like venom, it still hit him every time. He wasn’t as big as he once was, due to his aggressive attempt to slim down in his teens, but after moving to America, his body returned to its natural state. Yuuri had no time to work out, or eat only things that would never make him gain weight. Chubby, fat, whatever you called it, Yuuri’s body was it. He knew it was natural, healthy even, and it wasn’t anything to worry about. In fact, he had even embraced it a little.

But the words still hurt; the stigma attached to it still hurt.

So Yuuri stood on the side of the road, shifting from foot to foot.

He didn’t think he could stay around all those people who looked... so... perfect. Half of the people were dancers; the other half were skaters. People who worked hard, and long, to have the _perfect body_ for their sport. Then there was Yuuri. Of course, JJ wasn’t a skater or dancer, but he specifically made time to keep up his body to the societal ideal. Yuuri... just... couldn’t. Not with school, not with work. If he wanted to keep his scholarship, wanted to get a good internship when he graduated, he needed to focus on his studies.

The night cooled almost dramatically since Yuuri first got to the party, meaning his flimsy jacket was no longer enough to keep him from shivering like mad. There was no way he would go back to the party, though. He could wait until Yuuko got there. It wouldn’t be that bad.

But it was, and it took only five minutes for Yuuri to look back to the front door of the apartment complex and debate going back in. Yuri would still be in there, and he had no idea if the boy would target him again. Whatever he did to piss Yuri off, he didn’t know, because Yuuri had literally just met him.

Yuuri looked back to the road, deciding on staying outside. Fifteen more minutes; he could stand Fifteen more minutes.

Somebody nudged his shoulder. Yuuri jumped a little, moving out of the way. The word sorry was already coming out of his mouth as he turned. It caught in his throat when he was met with the face of Viktor.

Instead of the normal blinding smile on his face, Viktor was frowning. His eyebrows were knitted together as he stared down at him and it only made Yuuri want to duck his head. “Yuuri.” Hearing his name made him shudder, but if he was asked, Yuuri would only say it was the cold. “Why are you out here in the cold?”

“I’m... ah... waiting for Yuuko.” His voice cracked like he was going through puberty and this time Yuuri really did duck his head down. Apparently, he had a habit of embarrassing himself in front of Viktor.

The frown deepened. “You’re leaving? Why?” Yuuri nodded but didn’t answer Viktor’s second question. It wasn’t like he could say, _oh yeah, one of your skating troop fat-shamed me and I just can’t handle being in the same place as perfect people right now_. A finger nudged Yuuri’s chin, forcing him to look back to Viktor’s face. Thankfully, Viktor didn’t keep his hand there and it returned to his side. “Yuuri, what’s wrong?”

And the funny thing to Yuuri was, that Viktor sounded like he cared. Actually, really, cared. Viktor, this god in figure skating, cared about some guy he only met a week ago and it was strange. Why the hell would Viktor care? Why the hell should he care? It made no sense. Yuuri couldn’t bring himself to say anything about what happened, so instead, he just faked a smile. It was wide and he was sure it looked fake. Shaking his head, and with a surprisingly steady voice, Yuuri answered, “nothing, I just think I’m getting sick.”

It seemed like it was the right answer. While Viktor didn’t stop looking worried, he did stop frowning. “You do look cold.” Yuuri shrugged his shoulders. Then, predictably, the man grinned. “Want to use me as a blanket?”

The line actually makes Yuuri sputter out a chuckle, forgetting about the words hovering in the back of his mind. Whether it was Yuuri’s reaction or the way he relaxed, Viktor’s worry seemed to melt of his face. Yuuri sniffled, ignoring the way his eyes felt heavy and ready to burst.

“How long will Yuuko be?” Viktor asks. He shuffled a little back, pulling at his hoodie he had on.

Yuuri pursed his lips together, “Uh? Ten minutes, maybe? I kind of lost track.”

“You won’t come inside to wait?” Viktor asked and Yuuri shook his head at him. He couldn’t go back inside, not with Yuri in there, not if he didn’t want to start crying. More shuffling back and then Viktor was peeling off his jacket. Yuuri began to sputter out some protests but Viktor continued until he draped the sweater on him.

“Viktor, what- I, no! Take back your sweater, I’m fine, I don’t want you to get cold!”

He moved to take off the sweater from his shoulders but Viktor caught his hands. “Don’t worry, I’m going back inside,” Viktor said, “I promised Emil to keep him from doing something stupid, like kissing Michele. You need to stay warm so you don’t get sick.” Yuuri sighed, almost annoyed at the situation, but he didn’t try to take his hands away from Viktor to return the sweater. “Besides, who will make me coffee if you get sick?”

Yuuri laughed, and nodded his head. Despite being so cold, his cheeks felt warm. Viktor took away his hands and started to step back. With a silent wave, he left Yuuri on the sidewalk. It took all of Yuuri’s self-control to not look back at him, wondering whether he would do the same. Instead, Yuuri just curled himself tighter in Viktor’s sweater, trying not to breath in the smell of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yea sorry did i forget to mention i love angst?
> 
> Oh but don't worry loves, this isn't the main angst. we still got *looks at rough plot* five chapters until the main angst. <3 I just love Yuuri and my bb is self-concious and IS NATURALLY FAT OKAY! Bodies are different, okay. Some bodies are naturally skinny due to metabolism and other factors, Yuuri, is just naturally on the fat/chubby side. He's a med student so he knows it's not like hes unhealthy or anything, but doesn't mean the stigma behind the word doesn't still hurt, as explained.
> 
> Yuri, the bb, can be fucking stupid some times, but *sigh* don't we all love him. Don't worry, I'm pretty sure Mila is gonna fucking KICK HIS FUCKING ASS when she finds out, lbh. (#I'm the writer so by pretty sure i mean that it will happen so shush)
> 
> ANyways! As always, I appreciate every comment, kudos, subscribe, bookmark, and art (pls gimme yuuri wearing viktors jacket thnks). [My Tumblr](http://thegabbing.tumblr.com/).


	7. Ice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so..... its been a month............ whoops?

The fifth time Yuuri sneezed, Phichit threw his hands up in the air. “Nope! I am not saying bless you again.” Yuuri sneezed again. “I’m beginning to think you are doing this on purpose.” Glancing over to Phichit at the counter, he glared at his friend before returning to wiping down the table. He had been sneezing off and on all day, probably developing a cold from standing outside yesterday. Yuuri would blame his immune system except it he knew it was his fault for waiting out in the cold in the first place. At least it wasn’t as bad as it could be; he was sure that if Viktor hadn’t lent him his sweater, Yuuri wouldn’t be able to fill in for Guang-Hong.

He received a frantic call in the morning, Guang-Hong practically begging for Yuuri to take over his shift. Apparently the boy had forgotten about an exam coming up and he needed to cram for it. Since Yuuri wasn’t doing anything and he knew that Sunday’s were typically rather slow, he told Guang-Hong not to worry. Guang practically praised Yuuri, promising to cover his next few shifts.

Yuuri was sure that he was going to take him up on that offer in the next few days as his cold got worse. Or, at the very least, once Yuuko forced him to take a few days off, he would ask Guang to fill in for him.

Finishing up washing the table, Yuuri walked back to the counter. He passed the clothe to Phichit before gesturing over to back. They had worked together long enough that Phichit knew that Yuuri meant to go into the back and grab what they need to stock up on in the front.

Phichit worked at the café longer than Yuuri had. He was one of the first people that Yuuko and Takeshi hired, besides Otabek. When Yuuri came along, they instantly formed a bond. It wasn’t long before Yuuko hired Guang and Kenjirou on the suggestion of Phichit.

The three of them went to high school together when they were younger, and stayed friends after Phichit graduated. It wasn’t long though before Kenjirou and Guang were joining him at Columbia University. The younger boys were basically genius’s, though most people wouldn’t have been able to tell by just looking at them. Phichit was one of their only friends at their high school simply because many of the people in their grade didn’t want to befriend kids so young.

With his arms full, Yuuri came back out of the back with everything they needed. Normally, they only stocked up every few days but Sunday was the easiest day to do it on. It was practically dead almost all day, everyone sleeping in or catching up on that last bit of homework that they put off.

“Leo just texted – the hungover walk of shame is on its way here,” Phichit joked, laughing slightly, “You better start making that hangover cure of yours.”

Yuuri almost rolled his eyes. He dumped the things he grabbed onto the counter, knowing that Phichit would begin to put them away as he worked.

One of the first times that Leo, Sara, and JJ actually went out together, they ended up at the café the next day. Yuuri made them all coffee with two shots of espressos and each favorite flavor of syrup. For some god forsaken reason now, the three of them decided that every time they got drunk, they needed to come back for the ‘hangover cure’ even though they could get it at literally any coffee shop.

He knew what they liked off by heart, so he already had three cups of ‘hangover cure’ coffee done by the time his friends walked through the door. Besides the bell ringing on the door, it was completely silent when they walked in. JJ was practically carrying Sara, with one of her arms draped across his back and his arm holding her up. Leo looked like he was going to fall asleep, as per usual. Without even saying hello, his friends made their way to a table, falling into the chairs. Yuuri was about to walk over with the coffee when the bell rang again, drawing his attention to the possible customer.

Mila pulled off her sunglasses, smirking at Yuuri’s shocked expression. She shrugged her shoulders. “I stayed the night. Someone has to take care of these hungover losers since Michele refused to leave his bed. Something about Emil doing something and killing his will to live,” she waved her hand, rolling her eyes like it was something Michele said every other day, “I didn’t pay attention long enough to figure out what he meant.”

“I only have three cups of hangover cure,” Yuuri started, “do you want one?”

Raising her eyebrows at Yuuri, she said, “Darling, I’ve partied with Viktor. I know how to hold my liquor.” He stared at her for a second, unsure whether he was supposed to response, before he nodded his head and gestured to the coffee cups he had set on the pick-up counter.

“Wanna bring Leo’s and JJ’s?” he asked, pointing to them as he spoke, “I’ve got Sara’s, just let me take off my apron.” Mila nodded her head, grabbing the boys’ drinks. Yuuri started untying his apron as he gave a look towards Phichit. He waved his hand at his friend, telling Yuuri that it was fine for him to sit down for a second. After Yuuri set down his apron underneath the counter, he grabbed Sara’s birthday present. He made sure to keep it underneath the counter today because he knew they would eventually slink into the Café; whether it was to get the hangover cure or to question him on why he left without saying goodbye.

Moving around the counter, Yuuri grabbed Sara’s cup and made his way over to the booth they had settled into. He plopped the coffee cup in front of Sara before grabbing a nearby chair and pulling it up to the booth so he wouldn’t crowd either side. Sara moaned as she took a huge gulp of the coffee. JJ and Leo were looking more alive by the second.

“How late did you guys stay up after I left?” Yuuri asked.

Sara grumbled. The sounds coming out of her mouth didn’t even sound like they were English or Italian. Thankfully, Mila piped up. “A while. Party didn’t really stop until these three passed out on the ground. It was pretty amusing to watch – I’ve never stayed late enough to see them fall apart. JJ and Leo decided to fuck with Sara by pretending they didn’t speak English.”

Yuuri snorted. That sounded about right. He had witnessed Leo and JJ teasing Sara more than once when they were drunk. Once the boys all pretended not to know who she was. It only lasted a few minutes because Sara ended up sobbing because she was confused. By far, the cutest thing he had ever witnessed.

Remembering the necklace, he put the box on the table in front of her. “Here, Sara. I completely forgot to give you your other present before I left.”

The girl squealed, seemingly magically over her hang over. Leo and JJ flinched, slapping their hands onto their ears and glaring at both Sara and Yuuri. Sara, obviously for making such a loud noise, and Yuuri for causing it. He supposed he should have waited a little longer until they were all mostly back to normal, but Yuuri needed to go into the back and help Otabek bake some large batches of pastries.

She opened up the box, instantly smiling. Pulling the necklace out of the box, she held it against her neck. “Oh my god! Sweetie! This is amazing, I love it!” Yuuri smiled at her, happy that she liked the present.

“Wait... Yuuri, why did you leave?” JJ asked, his head tilting in confusion, “You normally stay to take care of us in the morning.”

The other three people at the table whipped their heads to him. Sara put her necklace back into her box quickly, focusing all her attention to him. With four sets of eyes staring at him, it felt like he was being interrogated. He really didn’t want to tell them what happened. Knowing his friends, they would get extremely upset and angry. At first, Yuuri just shrugged his shoulders, “Oh, I just needed to leave early for work.”

Sara shook her head angrily, her nose curling up; she did that anytime she thought she was being lied to. “Nuh-uh. I don’t buy it. You texted me yesterday morning that you had no work. What happened? If you don’t tell me now, I’m just going to find out later and be mad at you even more than I am now.”

So Yuuri told them. Which – in hindsight – was a completely stupid idea.

There was complete silence for two seconds. Sara’s coffee cup slammed down onto the table and she was practically crawling over Mila. “I’m gonna murder that fucker!” Sara screeched. She fell out of the booth, stumbling back onto her feet. She straightened out her dress before her face set back into furious determination. “Call me a fucking lawyer, that kid is going to get hit.”

Yuuri reached out to grab Sara but she was already marching away. Frantically, he looked over to JJ and Leo, “Guys!” He squeaked, gesturing wildly to the door, “go after her! Stop her!”

The boys looked to each other, giving each other this lazy look, before they turned back to Yuuri. “Do we have to?” Leo said, “I mean.... Yuri kind of deserves her wrath.”

JJ nodded, “I agree with Leo. What he did wasn’t cool, at all.”

“If you don’t stop her I’m going to stop making you guys hangover cures,” Yuuri said, crossing his arms. The boys gasped, eyes widening. Almost as quickly as Sara did, they ran out of the café, screaming for Sara to stop running. Yuuri couldn’t help but giggle at the sight. It was a little odd to see two full grown men running down the street but it wasn’t a completely abnormal to see JJ and Leo like that.

“Are they always like that?” Mila asks. Yuuri looks over to her, completely forgetting that she was there. Scratching the back of his neck, he hums, unsure of what she meant. Picking up on his confusion, Mila clarified, “Obviously I know they are normally that, but are they always so protective of you? I’ve only seen Sara that mad when Yuri decided to try and fight Michele when he first came here.”

Yuuri smiled softly, looking down to his lap. “I guess so. Most of the time it’s Sara threatening someone with death. JJ and Leo calm her down before she causes too much harm, though.” Mila’s jaw tightened and Yuuri looked around awkwardly. He wasn’t sure if she was angry because he basically sent Sara after Yuri or what, but she seemed like she was mad. “I... I’m sorry if –”

“I swear; don’t you go apologizing. You did nothing wrong. I’m just trying to figure out the best way to punish Yuri. I’m thinking forcing him to do pair skating with me for Yakov’s show coming up.” The girl sighed. Crossing her arms, she tilted her head in thought. “It’s not much of a punishment but it would irk him and make Yakov happy.” She hummed.

“Mila, it’s fine, you don’t have to be mad. Besides, it’s not like we are friends and –” Yuuri didn’t finish his sentence as Mila’s eyes quickly flicked towards him, looking completely affronted.

With a hand on her chest, Mila mockingly gasped, “We aren’t friends?” He shrugged his shoulders, cheeks turning pink. Yuuri began to mumble something about not having her number but before he could finish his sentence, Mila was shoving her phone into his chest. “Yuuri, shut up, we are friends now. Anybody who captured Viktor’s heart is a good man in my books.”

“Oh...” Yuuri mumbled, his cheeks turning even redder. Everyone seemed to think that Viktor was completely taken with him. Yuuri was still trying to wrap his mind around it. He took her phone, inputting his number before giving it back to her. She quickly typed out a message and then grinned happily.

“There! Friends,” she paused, “But really... Yuri may be a kid, but he knows this isn’t okay. He... He doesn’t have a lot of people in his life. There’s a reason why his parents let him come to America without so much of a shrug. He gets possessive of those important to him. When Sara and I first got close, Yuri told her I only talked to her because she was Michele’s sister.”

“Ah... wow,” Yuuri whispered.

Mila shrugged. “Letting him get away with it isn’t okay. Don’t worry about it, I promise that he will adjust after a while. But, please don’t let him scare you away from Viktor. He really does like you.”

Yuuri sputtered out, “Oh no, I don’t – pft, no I don’t think he –”

She rolled her eyes. “My god, you two are completely dense. Here!” Shoving her phone back into his face, Yuuri’s eyes locked onto the screen.

Mila had pulled up a text conversation with Viktor

**I’m going to the café with Sara**

_Oooooooooooo u lvebirds dmn_

_Wait the_ _café no_

**Dumbass what other café is there**

_Nooo_

_dont go i wanna go stop goign fite me mila_

_yuuri gonna be 100% mad i aint there tho with u_

_I miss him_

_wait 2 secs i will sneak away frm yak_

**He wouldn’t and you saw him yesterday**

_stfu tell yuuri he so hawt that he wuld melt the rink pls n thnks n im sorry i culdnt come cus practice >.<_

**Type properly dumbass but kay**

“I...” Yuuri said, unsure of what else to say.

She took back her phone and stood up from the booth. “Well, I’ve got to kick Yuri’s ass. Viktor will hopefully be in tomorrow; he’s trying to convince Michele to cover for him so he can sneak off.”

“He doesn’t have to come!” Mila raised her eyebrows at the sudden pitch in Yuuri’s voice. “I mean... if he’s busy. It’s fine. I won’t think badly of him.”

Mila smirked down at him, “Alright. I’ll see you later.”

It was only an hour after Mila left when Yuuri was putting in her contact information from the text he sent her that Yuuri remembered he forgot to give Mila Viktor’s sweater.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Below is an update I posted on my blog -  
> Okay. so….. Big announcement.
> 
> I am no longer going to be updating both of my long fics weekly.
> 
> they will still be updated! I repeat, I am not quitting RWY or C&C.
> 
> But. Classes are getting hard, uni can be exhausting. I just do not have time to do two fanfiction chapters every single week on top of studying for midterms and writing a entire research project (my group has dubbed me as leader unfortunately).
> 
> So… They will now update biweekly. This week shall be whatever I end up finishing. I am sorry, truly, but my RWY readers have been through this before. hell, you guys went three months (or was it two) without an update. My C&C followers, you guys have probably not unless you also read RWY.
> 
> I want to do biweekly updates, I really really want to keep up on biweekly updates. But, don’t get mad if some times I don’t update. Writing is hard, especially with university on top of that.
> 
> I will try, ill try as hard as I can. <3 thank you for understanding.
> 
> -
> 
> That being said... Obviously, I did not update that same week. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> But, hey, can you blame me? I have to make an entire fucking research project from scratch, woooooo. I actually should be having an easier time for the next week, so I'm hoping to stock up on a chapter or two. I am so sorry for not updating guys, but life gets in the way and as much as I love writing this, school comes first. Also, yes no viktor this chapter, but hey, he still got his pick up line.
> 
> Did I say already that i want to specially thank CelestialYuuri cause? i rlly wanna thank cause she shared with me an absolutely beautiful playlist <3 bless your soul, my dear, this chapter for you!
> 
> Anyways, as always, i appreciate every comment, kudos, bookmark, and subscribe! We've got 200+ subs on this now, I love every single one of you! You can find me on tumblr at thegabbing
> 
>  
> 
> Also I want everyone to freeze for a moment k cause this is super important. My brother.... is writing a fanfiction. NOT FOR YOI! No, he hasn't watched it yet, i shall be forcing him to do so during the summer or something - anyways, no it is for RWBY. Below I shall explain it, but I understand that some of yall might not be in the RWBY fandom (like I am not in it) so if you guys aren't, feel free to stop reading <3 But if you guys are in the fandom, please read this below!
> 
> Okay - so my brother has never actually written fanfiction before. But he's been working on this for.... a year? I don't know, a little while after I began my ML fic. Obviously, him knowing that I write fanfiction, turned to me to help him out. And let me just tell you - his ideas? Amazing. 
> 
> This fanfiction he has planned is... literally the entire series of RWBY only he has created 4 main OC's. These are well rounded, and not mary sue/Marty stu, i make sure of it, and integrate beautifully with the original characters of RWBY. He has everything plotted up in his mind from the start all the way to the very end. Literally all he has to do is write it and adjust to new episodes of RWBy coming out (is this season done, what?). 
> 
> You can find it [here](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12354969/1/Accolade-of-Beacon). But I want you to bear in mind, this small prologue is only out because my baby bro wanted to celebrate Monty and who he was with the rest of the RWBY fandom. He has around nine chapters he is done with - well 8, i still have to edit and go through chapter 9 with him, but updates will be scarce and few and far in between. But it will be worth it.
> 
> <3 thank you


	8. Blessing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its been more than a month and im trsh.

“I’d say god bless you, but looks like he already did.”

Yuuri turned around to see Viktor standing at the counter, smirking, as per usual. His cheeks warmed but Yuuri couldn’t help but roll his eyes at Viktor. It was obvious the man wasn’t going to stop with his cheesy and corny pick-up lines any time soon. At least they were amusing.

Rubbing his nose, he smiled at Viktor, “Hey, you. Mila told me you would be coming in today. Won’t you get in trouble with Yakov?”

Viktor shrugged his shoulders. “Ah, well, maybe. Michele owes me so, he should cover me rather well. I think he mentioned something about pretending Makkachin was sick or what not. I do need to get back as soon as possible though, so maybe a quick Americano?”

“Sure, Viktor,” Yuuri replied, turning around to grab a paper cup and moving to the machines. Viktor followed him to the other end of the counter, opting to lean onto it and watch as Yuuri started on his Americano. “How was practise the other day, when you were hungover?”

He snorted, a smile crossing his face. “Ah, I’ve skated in competitions hungover before, when I was younger, so it wasn’t harder than usual. Though...” Yuuri looked up when Viktor paused mid-sentence, “Sara did come storming into the rink.”

Yuuri groaned, his head tipping back down to finish Viktor’s Americano. “I told the guys to stop her before she got there. I’m sorry.” He put up the cup on the counter, pushing it towards Viktor. With a frown, he took it, but didn’t move from where he stood.

“She was loud when she was lecturing Yuri... You know I don’t think you’re a nobody, right?” Viktor said, tilting his head a little to try and see Yuuri’s face. He kept his head ducked down as he shrugged his shoulders. “Yuuri, can you look at me, please?”

It was almost painful to hear Viktor begging, so he complied and picked his head up. “I am a nobody. In comparison to you.” Viktor’s face dropped completely, looking angry, sad, and guilty all at the same time.

“I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like a nobody.” This time it was Viktor who adverted his eyes away. Yuuri was about to protest, say that it had nothing to do with anything Viktor did, it was just fact. Yuuri was a nobody. No one would remember him at the end of the day past his lifetime or the lifetime of his friends. Nothing particularly wrong with that, a lot of people were nobodies. Before Yuuri could even get anything out though, Viktor looked back up at him, a determined look in his face. “I think you are a somebody.”

“You don’t even know me, Viktor,” Yuuri protested, feeling to uncomfortable with the thought of Viktor actually thinking something of Yuuri – thinking that Yuuri was anything more than what he was.

“Well, I like to think I know enough. And I know what I feel, and that tells me you are so much more than a nobody, Yuuri.” Viktor said. If it was anyone else, Yuuri might have just thought that they were saying it to make Yuuri feel better about himself. But looking at Viktor, looking at his face, he could tell that wasn’t it. Viktor, honest to god, believed that Yuuri was somebody. Somebody worth his time, attention, and worth everything he was giving him. It was...

Strange.

Unable to figure out what to say, Yuuri started to mutter and stumble over his words. “I... I don’t – I mean – uh.” His eyes wide, Yuuri gestured towards the back of the café, “Ah! Your – your sweater! I’ll just... go get that. For you. Just... one second.”

When he walked into the back, he saw Otabek sitting on a stool, rolling out some pastry dough. He raised an eyebrow at Yuuri, but didn’t say anything as Yuuri walked into the office to grab Viktor’s sweater. Upon returning, Viktor smiled at Yuuri, seeing the jacket in his hand. “You know you could keep it. I don’t mind.”

“It’s your Olympic sweater, I couldn’t,” Yuuri said, all but shoving the sweater into Viktor’s free hand. It shifted the coffee a bit, almost making it spill over Viktor’s hand, but he balanced it with simple ease.

Viktor shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t see why not. Christophe gave his to his boyfriend.” And again, Yuuri started to sputter. _What the hell did that mean?_ Laughing at Yuuri’s embarrassment, Viktor turned around. “I’ll be back soon, Yuuri! Keep that coffee warm for me!”

Just like that, Viktor was gone, leaving a red-faced Yuuri in his stead. It was only a couple seconds after he left that Otabek came out. Yuuri was still standing at the counter, lost for words and trying to figure out what the hell Viktor meant by that. It... it really couldn’t mean that Viktor actually wanted to date him. Granted... Mila did say he really liked him, and everyone else seemed to be convinced that his pick-up lines were actual flirting, and not just joking around. It was... weird.

Otabek nudged Yuuri’s shoulder, “So... you know that means he wants to date you, right?”

“I don’t think...” Yuuri stopped. He... well... maybe Viktor did want to date him. That would be... “Oh.”

“You know what you gotta do, right?” Otabek asked, starting to move pastries from his tray into the display cases.

Yuuri shut his mouth, crossing his arms. Well... he couldn’t exactly just out right say he wanted to date Viktor too. Not after all those pick-up lines Viktor tossed his way. No. He was going to give Viktor a taste of his medicine. “I’m going to use his own pick-up lines against him.”

“That’s not- ugh.” Otabek sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> literal trash, this chapter isnt even 1k. But I couldn't make it longer and i couldn't combine it into the next chapter. I'm sorry my peeps. But... hey? at least yuuri has finally realized that viktor wants that D. 
> 
> <3 love u all, as always I appreciate every comment, kudos, subscribe, bookmark, and fanart. HMU at thegabbing on tumblr for updates and cute reblogs.


	9. Reading

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, y'all. sorry for the lack of updates. Something very important I need y'all to know so I'm posting this both at the beginning and end notes. 
> 
> So I am very low on cash. I am only able to afford rent because I am selling some of my stuff. I am trying to survive and live in the city rn because living back at home would not be a good place for me since my sister, who's fiance is acephobic, racist, and transphobic, would be there and I wouldn't be able to handle interaction with them, for my mental health. If I can't pay rent, I am going to have to move back home, which is the last thing I want. So, if y'all could please send me whatever you could to my paypal? https://www.paypal.me/GabrielAshley. I would deeply appreciate it. If y'all would like small things written in exchange, you could message me on my tumblr, thegabbing, and we could discuss it. I don't have a lot of time rn because my mental health is not the best, but I would try my darn best. Thank you so much. 
> 
> Now to the chapter.

Yuuri began to wear the sweater after that. At first he did it one day when Viktor usually walked into the Café just to see his reaction. Viktor walked in, a smirk on his face, and had promptly tripped and fell on his face when he saw Yuuri in his sweater. So Yuuri just continued wearing the sweater... it helped that it was comfortable.

It was so comfortable that Yuuri wrapped himself up tightly in it as he speed-walked through the stacks of books in the library. He hadn’t worked at the café all week, taking a quick break because of his small cold and he had an essay due the next week. So he was rushing around in the library, desperately trying to finish up his essay so he could spend the rest of his weekend relaxing as much as he possibly could.

Spotting the exact book he needed, Yuuri stretched up on his toes to try and reach it. He was positive some asshole placed it on the top shelf just knowing that Yuuri wouldn’t be able to reach it. It was the last one he needed to double check his references were proper.

He jumped one last time, his fingers just brushing the edge of the book before he stopped his foot in exhaustion. That was it. He would have to go grab one of the chairs at the desks on this floor. It would be annoying to drag it over but it wasn’t like there was anyone else in the library at this time for him to ask for help.

Just as Yuuri was about to turn around to go grab a chair, he felt a body brush behind him. Yuuri froze, unsure of what he was supposed to do as the body reached up and grabbed the book that Yuuri was trying to reach. Extremely annoyed, Yuuri flipped around, ready to snap that he needed that book. There was no way he would chance losing 10% just because his references weren’t double checked. But as he turned around, he looked slightly up to see Viktor smirking down at him, book in one hand, and his other arm resting on one side of the bookshelf.

_I wonder what it would feel like if he was pressed just a little bit closer to me_ , Yuuri thought. The moment his brain asked the question, Yuuri could feel his cheeks warm. The last thing he needed was for Viktor to know just how _much_ he liked him.

“Hello, Yuuri,” Viktor said quietly, not taking his eyes off of Yuuri’s, “This was the book that you wanted right?”

“Uh... Yup,” Yuuri squeaked awkwardly. Viktor nodded, finally taking a step back so that they weren’t practically pressed together in the stacks. The breath that Yuuri let out might have been disappointed or thankful, or both to be honest. Yuuri took the book from Viktor’s hand, smiling in a way that hopefully didn’t convey the very embarrassing, very sexual thoughts that he was having about what exactly they could get up to in the library. “Thank you.”

Viktor hummed back at him, smiling in that familiar way. “I thought I would find you here. Or... Well, Yuuko told me you would be here.”

At that, Yuuri couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Viktor had asked Yuuko where he was, which was adorable and Yuuri might just die on the spot. “I took a little break. I have an essay due next week and I’m still recovering from that cold.”

“Ah, yes. Well, I see my sweater is helping with that,” Viktor said, his chin jutting out in a gesture to the sweater Yuuri currently had on him. Yuuri’s cheeks darkened again as he looked away from Viktor. “I’m glad you have a use for it.”

“Do you need it back?” Yuuri asked, stuttering half way through the sentence because he really –really – did not want to give it back. It was comforting in that odd sort of way. And by odd, he meant it was the sweater of the man he really, really, liked.  Viktor shook his head and Yuuri let out a small breath of relief. “So why are you here?”

“To see you.” Viktor answered with a shrug, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, “I missed you.”

Yuuri rolled his eyes, a knee-jerk reaction to thinking anybody would miss him. He noticed the way Viktor’s mouth frowned and how he looked almost disappointed at the fact that Yuuri didn’t believe him. What Otabek said those few days ago really made more sense now that he began to open his mind to it. Even if Viktor didn’t like Yuuri in that sort of romantic way, he at the very least cared about him as a friend. And that, well, Yuuri couldn’t help but feel a little warm inside at that thought. “So? You decide to come to the library instead of waiting until I am back at the Café?”

“Well.... you see,” Viktor began. Yuuri already knew what was coming because every single time Viktor spat out one of his lines, he got the same tone in his voice. “I don’t have a library card, but do you mind if I check you out?”

Any other time, Yuuri would have sputtered awkwardly, shrugging off the line like water, and returned to whatever he was doing. But hell, if there was one thing Yuuri was proud about, is that once he set his mind to something, he was going to do it. So thinking on his feet, Yuuri smirked back at Viktor. “If you were a book, I’d stay up all night reading.” Honestly, it wasn’t his best, but it got him the reaction that he was searching for.

Almost instantly Viktor turned bright red. His hand clasped against his mouth as he looked at Yuuri, obviously embarrassed and almost in awe of what Yuuri said. He couldn’t help but laugh at Viktor. Apparently, he could flirt like an old Italian man, but one line from Yuuri and he was falling apart. It was almost amusing. Viktor’s hand dropped from his face, his mouth opening like he was about to say something. Before he could, however, someone cleared their throat next to them.

They jumped, their eyes turning to who was next to them. Mila was grinning wildly at them, like this was exactly what she was wanting her entire life. In fact, it almost looked similar to what she looked like the last time she won a medal. Yuuri’s cheeks felt a little hot. “Oh no, please don’t let me interrupt this dance. I was quite enjoying the show.”

Viktor groaned, his head dropping backwards. “Mila,” he whined, “What do you want?”

“We gotta go, lover boy, you can talk to Yuuri,” Mila explained, her head jerking back to the direction of the doors, “Yuri will kill us if we are late, never mind what Yakov will do to us.”

A pout spread across his lips, and Viktor turned back to face Yuuri. Before Viktor could mumble out an apology, like he normally did, Yuuri said, “It’s fine. Besides, Mila has my number. Next time you miss me, just text me.”

“See? Yuuri loves you too,” Mila said, grabbing Viktor by the arm. Yuuri began to sputter useless protests but Mila was already dragging Viktor away. Viktor waved back to him over his shoulder, blowing him a kiss.

Well... That went better than he thought it would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is something important that I hope y'all read. 
> 
> So I am very low on cash. I am only able to afford rent because I am selling some of my stuff. I am trying to survive and live in the city rn because living back at home would not be a good place for me since my sister, who's fiance is acephobic, racist, and transphobic, would be there and I wouldn't be able to handle interaction with them, for my mental health. If I can't pay rent, I am going to have to move back home, which is the last thing I want. So, if y'all could please send me whatever you could to my paypal? https://www.paypal.me/GabrielAshley. I would deeply appreciate it. If y'all would like small things written in exchange, you could message me on my tumblr, thegabbing, and we could discuss it. I don't have a lot of time rn because my mental health is not the best, but I would try my darn best. Thank you so much. 
> 
> And as always, I appreciate every comment, kudos, bookmark, subscribe, fanart, and follow. You can find me on my tumblr at thegabing. I love y'all very much.


	10. Buns

Yuuri hummed to the song playing on the radio, focusing on scrubbing the ground where a stain was. It wouldn’t come off no matter what he did but he was determined to get at least most of it off. Yuuko had already told him multiple times that is was fine but he was going to figure it out. There was no way he would just let a stain stay on the ground forever, even if it was in the corner of the shop.

He was on the ground on his hands and knees, using all his energy to try and scrub some berry juice off the white floor. He didn’t know who decided to go with white tiles but they obviously didn’t think it through. After all, this was a café and spills were going to happen. Unfortunately, some kid decided to step on his blueberry muffin after dropping it on the ground, squishing in the blueberry juice. It was so busy that he couldn’t get to it until an hour later, when it has set in.

Yuuko was dealing with the customers while he focused on the ground, so he didn’t pay attention when the bell for the door jingled. He sort of heard Yuuko say hello to someone happily but was in general much more focused in trying to get the stain out.

Suddenly he felt a nudge on his leg, prompting him to look behind him and see Viktor looking at him. He almost sputtered out a surprised gasp at the way that Viktor was looking at him. There was no doubt that Viktor was eyeing his ass just then.

“Viktor!” Yuuri yelped, jumping off the ground. He self-consciously brushed at his legs, trying to get off the dust that had set into his black jeans. Yuuri probably looked like a mess, it had already been such a long day. Viktor didn’t seem to notice, however. He just smiled at Yuuri widely, as usual.

“Yuuri! You are back! I hope you are feeling better.”

He shrugged his shoulders. Better might be a subjective word to be honest. He still felt a little off than his normal self but nothing he couldn’t live with. After all, he had gotten used to working while sick for a while, after being in school for so long. “I’m alright, but how are you? Aren’t you supposed to be at practise right now?” Yuuri didn’t actually know if Viktor needed to be at practise, it just seemed like Viktor was supposed to be at practise constantly.

“Ah, perhaps, but I missed seeing you, so I wanted to see if you were in the café.”

Yuuri laughed awkwardly, unsure of what to make of the statement. Of course, he knew in theory that Viktor at least found him interesting enough to flirt with, Yuuri still wasn’t completely sure what Viktor wanted from him. So, he expertly dodged responding to what Viktor said by saying, “well, I don’t want to be the reason for you not doing your best. You should hurry back to practise.”

As expected, Viktor frowned, his bottom lip sticking out a bit. Yuuri couldn’t help but think about what it would feel like to nibble on his lip. His face flushed red at the thought, and he turned around to go behind the counter. “Could I at least get a latte? Extra sweet, like you?” Viktor purred while Yuuri continued to go behind the counter. If his face wasn’t red before, it was certainly scarlet now.

Yuuri nodded his head, not looking up at Viktor as he grabbed a medium to go cup and began to pull the espresso. “How is practise going?” Yuuri asked, because he couldn’t stand the silence. Viktor hummed back at him, and Yuuri could just picture him leaning on the counter, probably craning his neck to see what he was doing.

“As well as it can be. I haven’t been able to be motivated for a while,” he replied, his voice coming from right in front of Yuuri.

The espresso finished dripping through, and Yuuri grabbed a free spoon to mix it together with the syrups in the cup. It was a little weird, he supposed, that he already knew what Viktor wanted, despite the man not being a regular. But he just blamed that on his memory, he happened to have a rather good one. “Oh?” Yuuri asked, not looking up as he tossed the spoon into the sink and moved to steam some milk.

“Well, what’s the point of skating when you aren’t here to see at the end of practise,” Viktor explained. Yuuri almost swallowed his own tongue. His eyes snapped up to meet the honest smile of Viktor. It was weird that Yuuri could tell that Viktor wasn’t lying; it was even weirder to think that Viktor was motivated by him. Not knowing how to reply, Yuuri returned to staring at the milk, tapping the carafe with his index finger. He pulled it off the wand, ignoring the way his cheeks felt too warm to be normal.

A sweet laugh filled the café as Viktor laughed at him. It wasn’t in a mean way, Yuuri was sure, more amused by his... friend? Were they friends? Yuuri found himself desperately wondering if they were.

He finished pouring the milk into the latter, deciding to make a leaf instead of a regular heart in the foam. Yuuri slid the cup onto the counter, watching Viktor as he pulled out his wallet. Before he could think anything through, he blurted out, “Don’t worry about it, it’s on the house.”

The smiled Viktor gave him was blinding. “Will Yuuko be angry?”

“Oh, well she likes you as much as I do so,” Yuuri replied automatically, not understanding the way Viktor ducked his head down at the words.

“Well, I hope you like me at least a little more than she,” Viktor mumbled offhandedly. Yuuri opened his mouth to ask what he meant but Viktor looked back up at him and said, “I have a favor to as you.”

Yuuri raised his eyebrows. A favor? What could Viktor need from him? Well, besides coffee obviously. Viktor took the silence as a sign to continue. “This weekend, are you doing anything?”

If Yuuri was holding anything, it would have been dropped. His jaw dropped a little. _Was Viktor...._ no. Yuuri was being stupid, there was no way that... impossible. Not trusting his voice, Yuuri shook his head. Viktor smiled back at him. “Good. Yakov is having his skaters perform some routines this weekend. Showing us off to sponsors basically. The better we do, the more money we get to use for traveling to competitions and what not.”

“So no pressure,” Yuuri mumbled. Gosh, he couldn’t imagine how stressful that must be for everyone. It is hard enough skating, never mind doing it to purposely impress people that could make or break your career.

“No more so than usual. But I’d... I’d like you to come, if you could.”

Yuuri blinked. Once. Twice. That wasn’t what he was expecting.

“You don’t have to!” Viktor scrambled, his cheeks turning red. “Obviously, it’s... it’s just a thought. I was –”

“of course,” Yuuri spat out quickly, trying to get Viktor’s brain to stop turning. “I’d love to.”

Viktor let out this sigh, probably a breath of relief. Yuuri didn’t understand why he was nervous to ask him. He would go no matter what. He would rearrange the sun and stars just to see Viktor skate live. Viktor’s hand darted out to grab Yuuri’s own. Too shocked to dodge it, Yuuri let his hand be grabbed. A pen pressed against his skin, and Viktor wrote down the time and where he needed to go.

“Feel free to bring your friends, I’ll be sure to tell Yakov to put you and anybody else you bring on the list,” Viktor smiled at him, his hand still grasping Yuuri’s wrist. Yuuri nodded his head, sort of unable to get over the fact that Viktor was sort of holding his hand. It was close enough.

Then his hand dropped and Viktor was grabbing his latte. He smiled once at Yuuri and turned to the door. Still frozen in place, Yuuri watched him as he walked away. Viktor just invited him to see him skate. People would kill for this experience. Hell, Yuuri would have killed for this experience when he was younger too.

Just as Yuuri is about to go into the back and tell Yuuko what exactly happened, Viktor twists on his heels.

“I almost forgot!”

“What?”

An almost evil smirk crossed Viktor’s face. “Is your father a baker?” Yuuri opened his mouth but Viktor continued. “Because you have got some nice buns.”

Viktor is out of the café before Yuuri can comprehend what just happened. But as soon as he understands, he practically runs to the door. Sticking his head out and yelling down the street at Viktor “Do you know karate! Because your body is Kicking!”

            Yuuri kind of really hoped that Viktor tripped because he was surprised by what Yuuri said, not because of a rock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol hi im still alive sorry. hope yall enjoyed. There are only six chapters left, lovelies.


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